Trevor Lee and Keri Craig Lee

Brisbane, Agribusiness/Air and Marine Charter

Trevor Lee Keri Craig Lee

Brisbane, Agribusiness/Air and Marine Charter

$560 million (up $88 million). Last year: No.17

Don't be deceived by the deliberately low public profile. Trevor Lee is one of the most astute and successful businesspeople in the state.

Mr Lee, who turns 64 today, and his wife, fashion designer Keri Craig Lee,  control a vast and varied entrepreneurial empire employing more than 1000 people.

At the heart of the Lee Group is the cattle-rearing and meat processing giant Australian Country Choice.

One of the state's five largest private companies with an annual turnover topping $1 billion, it is also one of Australia's top 10 landholders with more than 433,000 hectares owned and another 230,000 leased and managed - 54 properties in all including 15 feedlots.

They produce 150,000 head of cattle a year for processing at ACC's state-of-the-art plant in Cannon Hill in Brisbane.

Since 1972, the firm has been exclusively supplying Coles supermarkets under a long-term and lucrative contract for the Coles brand and ACC's own Drover's Pride label.

The group's activities, in Australia and overseas, also include residential and commercial property development, financing and air and marine charter, as well as Ms Craig Lee's fashion business and store.

The couple owns the breathtaking Keri Lee III, a 54m six-cabin superyacht based in the Mediterranean, which costs at least $275,000 a week to charter.

Their Ascot home is regarded as one of Brisbane's finest houses.

The Lee Group began as an earthworks and civil construction company founded by Henry Lee and his son Norm, a minister in the Bjelke-Petersen government.

It's now in its fourth generation with Trevor Lee's two oldest sons, Anthony and Michael, both having roles in ACC.  They also feature in the Coles TV ads with celebrity chef Curtis Stone.