Alan Bond: The one and only

Look back on the spectacularly colourful life of one of Australia’s most infamous businessmen, Alan Bond.

ONE of Australia’s most dominant business figures of the 1980s, the colourful Bond once headed a global empire that spanned media, brewing, resources and property assets worth billions of dollars. Alan Bond with model of Bond University. Picture: News Corp

1/35ONE of Australia’s most dominant business figures of the 1980s, the colourful Bond once headed a global empire that spanned media, brewing, resources and property assets worth billions of dollars. Alan Bond with model of Bond University. Picture: News Corp

2/35Alan Bond, aboard the Australia II as his team breaks the United States’ 132-year winning streak in the 1983 America Cup.

Bob Hawke and Alan Bond pictured during the commemorations of the 30th Anniversary of Australia II’s America’s Cup victory. Burned into Australia’s collective memory on that was the famous line “Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum” Picture Gregg Porteous

3/35Bob Hawke and Alan Bond pictured during the commemorations of the 30th Anniversary of Australia II’s America’s Cup victory. Burned into Australia’s collective memory on that was the famous line “Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum” Picture Gregg Porteous

4/35When the chips are down ... Alan Bond on his way to a personal creditor’s meeting, Picture: Michael Amendolia

Bond was declared bankrupt in 1992 with personal debts of $1.8bn. He was later stripped of his Australian of the Year title and served four years in prison for fraud. Bond is pictured here leaving Perth Supreme Court in December 1996 after pleading guilty to defrauding Bell Resources of $1bn.

5/35Bond was declared bankrupt in 1992 with personal debts of $1.8bn. He was later stripped of his Australian of the Year title and served four years in prison for fraud. Bond is pictured here leaving Perth Supreme Court in December 1996 after pleading guilty to defrauding Bell Resources of $1bn.

Bond spends time with friends during a picnic at Karnet Prison Farm, with wife Diana Bliss, friends Rose Hancock Porteous and her husband Willy. Joining them were four other friends and another prisoner.

6/35Bond spends time with friends during a picnic at Karnet Prison Farm, with wife Diana Bliss, friends Rose Hancock Porteous and her husband Willy. Joining them were four other friends and another prisoner.

7/35On top of the world ... Businessman Alan Bond, pictured in a light aircraft in 1986.

Bond also experienced tragedy in his personal life when his second wife Diana Bliss took her own life aged 57 in their luxury beachside Cottesloe home, 17 years after their marriage in 1995. Alan Bond and wife Diana Bliss.

8/35Bond also experienced tragedy in his personal life when his second wife Diana Bliss took her own life aged 57 in their luxury beachside Cottesloe home, 17 years after their marriage in 1995. Alan Bond and wife Diana Bliss.

9/35Alan Bond marries Diana Bliss in May 1996.

10/35Skipper John Bertrand with WA businessman Alan Bond and 1983 America’s Cup trophy.

11/35Alan Bond greets the late Pope John Paul II. Picture: John Casamento

12/35Alan Bond and Laurie Connell with singer, Jackie Love at the opening of Observation City Hotel Perth in 1987.

$In his most infamous deal, Bond bought the Nine Network from Kerry Packer for $1 billion but sold it back to the billionaire for a fraction of the price just three years later. The sale prompted Packer’s famous quip: “You only get one Alan Bond in your life and I’ve had mine.” Businessman Alan Bond, pictured alone in the late 1980s.$

13/35In his most infamous deal, Bond bought the Nine Network from Kerry Packer for $1 billion but sold it back to the billionaire for a fraction of the price just three years later. The sale prompted Packer’s famous quip: “You only get one Alan Bond in your life and I’ve had mine.” Businessman Alan Bond, pictured alone in the late 1980s.

14/35Alan Bond with Prime Minister Bob Hawke at a reception to congratulate the crew of Australia II in Canberra.

15/35Alan Bond is consoled after suffering the loss of his wife Di Bliss in 2012. Picture: News Corp

Beginning his career as a signwriter Alan Bond soon took an interest in the property market, experiencing immense personal wealth and power before spectacularly crashing and burning.

16/35Beginning his career as a signwriter Alan Bond soon took an interest in the property market, experiencing immense personal wealth and power before spectacularly crashing and burning.

Remarkably, the unflappable Bond made a comeback after his release from jail in 2000. Here he is photographed at Cottesloe in WA. Picture: News Corp Australia

17/35Remarkably, the unflappable Bond made a comeback after his release from jail in 2000. Here he is photographed at Cottesloe in WA. Picture: News Corp Australia

18/35Alan Bond with Santos managing director John Zehnder and chairman John Bonython 18 June 1979. Picture: Dennis Rogers

19/35Captain Bond ... WA businessman Alan Bond with soon-to-be Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

20/35Businessman Alan Bond with his briefcase in hand in the late 1980s. Picture: News Corp

21/35Alan Bond in the 1980s.

22/35Alan Bond takes in a Rugby union match between Bond University and Norths. Picture: Mike Batterham

23/35Angela van Dall and Alan Bond at the The Bond University 25th Anniversary Gala Ball. Picture Mike Batterham

24/35Alan Bond aboard the legendary yacht “Australia II” in August, 2001. Picture: Tim Anderson

25/35Alan Bond seeing someone off at the front gate of his home in Cottesloe, Western Australia in 2012. Picture: News Corp Australia

26/35Alan Bond with former SA Premier Des Corcoran in 1979. Picture: Bob Cunningham

27/35Alan Bond following the win of Australia II in the America Cup.

28/35Yachtsman John Bertrand with Alan Bond holding Americas Cup trophy in 1983.

John Bertrand and Alan Bond carry the America’s Cup into the luncheon watched by Bob Hawke to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Australia II’s America’s Cup victory at the Hilton Hotel. Sydney. Picture: Gregg Porteous

29/35John Bertrand and Alan Bond carry the America’s Cup into the luncheon watched by Bob Hawke to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Australia II’s America’s Cup victory at the Hilton Hotel. Sydney. Picture: Gregg Porteous

30/35Alan Bond, pictured in the late 1970s.

31/35Alan Bond after the death of his eldest daughter Susanne, takes his dog for a walk in Cottesloe, WA, in 2000. Picture: News Corp

32/35STRICKLY STM ONLY MUST SEE KARIN RE USAGE/LEGALS. ALAN BOND & CREW CELEBRATING YACHT AUSTRALIA 11 WINNING THE AMERICA'S CUP IN NEWPORT,1983

33/35STRICKLY STM ONLY MUST SEE KARIN RE USAGE/LEGALS. ALAN BOND & CREW CELEBRATING YACHT AUSTRALIA 11 WINNING THE AMERICA'S CUP IN NEWPORT,1983

34/35STRICKLY STM ONLY MUST SEE KARIN RE USAGE/LEGALS. ALAN BOND & CREW CELEBRATING YACHT AUSTRALIA 11 WINNING THE AMERICA'S CUP IN NEWPORT,1983

35/35STRICKLY STM ONLY MUST SEE KARIN RE USAGE/LEGALS. ALAN BOND & CREW CELEBRATING YACHT AUSTRALIA 11 WINNING THE AMERICA'S CUP IN NEWPORT,1983

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