Lee-Chin married Vera Lee-Chin, a Ukranian Canadian he met at university, in 1974. [14], In 1965, Lee-Chin's first job came working as part of the landscaping team at the Frenchman's Cove Hotel. This was followed in 2004, by the acquisition of AIC Financial Group Limited, headquartered in Trinidad. Born and raised in Jamaica. 20 following. 122 posts. Over the course of four years, his investments appreciated sevenfold, climbing from $1 to $7 per share. In 2003, Senvia Money Services Inc., a global money transfer company, was established. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. In addition to these business ventures, Lee-Chin has made a number of successful investments over the years, including an early investment in the mutual fund company AIC Limited, which has contributed significantly to his net worth. Jamaican-Canadian billionaire businessman and philanthropist Michael Lee-Chin, who ranks as one of the world's wealthiest black billionaires, has put his luxurious mansion on Grand Cayman's Seven-Mile Beach up for sale for $35 million. Michael Lee-Chin, OJ, OOnt (born 3 January 1951) is a Jamaican-Canadian billionaire businessman, and philanthropist and the chairman and CEO of Portland Holdings Inc, a privately held investment company in Ontario, Canada. The native of Jamaica acquired AIC in 1987, when it had less than $1. Undeterred with young Michael as a baby, she eventually got back another job at the Sang Hing Supermarket in Port Antonio. That was his baby., As Lee-Chins wealth increased, so too did his desire to give back, said Wellum. Fair use image. Please do send us a message. separated in 1997 and are now divorced. In 1970, Lee-Chin travelled to Canada to study civil engineering at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. But unfortunately, she was not allowed to start her secondary education, as her adoptive mother indicated that it was a waste of money to educate a girl in the 1940s, with the culture of traditional gender roles playing a heavy hand. In 2009, Lee-Chin sold AIC Limited to Manulife for an undisclosed amount. Donald Trumps real net worth? In 1966, he started a job cleaning the engine room on the Jamaica Queen cruise ship. Built by the renownedLurssenYachts in 2021 as Project ENZO, the impressivesuperyachtAHPOis a marvel of modern design and engineering. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. In October 1998, the stock market was crashing, but the portfolio managers at Burlington, Ont.-based AIC Ltd. were on the road as planned, travelling across Canada to convince clients that the funds they offered remained good investments, even though some of them had lost half their value. grown to form a network of about 750 financial advisors in 250 Canadian branches. Michael Lee-Chin (1951- ) September 30, 2014 contributed by: Maurice W. Dorsey. He also invested in public investment management businesses which benefit from a rising market in two ways. In 2014, Lee-Chin donated $10 million to Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, So far, it has made a number of large-scale investments. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. It also has a high cruising speed, allowing it to cover large distances quickly and efficiently. Please do send us a message. The motto of Lee-Chins current company, Portland Holdings Inc., which manages US$20 billion in assets, is do well and do good. Lee-Chin donated $10 million to the University of Toronto, establishing the Michael Lee-Chin and Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship, which helps business leaders use their companies to encourage social change. He also provided a $10 million gift to the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. It recovered throughout the early 1990s by maintaining investments in large groups, such as Merrill Lynch and TD bank (formerly Toronto Dominion). The funds were used to establish the Michael Lee-Chin & Family Institute for Strategic Business Studies (formerly known as the AIC Institute for Strategic Business Studies) at the DeGroote School of Business. The company was later acquired by Manulife Financial Corporation. It was not achieved. In 1970, he went to Canada on a scholarship program sponsored by the Jamaican government to study Civil Engineering at McMaster University, and graduated in 1974. for Economic Growth and Investment in Haiti in 2011. He purchased Jamaicas National Commercial Bank in 2002, a move his investor friends questioned. I will accept only if you find me some shares! he said, sticking to his long-held beliefs about the merits of stock ownership. So, how much is Michael Lee-Chin worth at the age of 71 years old? Currently Lee-Chin is eyeing other prospective investment . The following year, Manulife rebranded the heritage AIC funds and eliminated the AIC name from the mutual fund line-up. Blake Chorley 1 of 12 Brigette Adorrisio Chang, Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind and Amanda. Michael Lee-Chin. [31] The couple had three children, Michael Jr., Paul, and Adrian. Michael Lee-Chin's income source is mostly from being a successful Chairman. He also owns a fleet of Agusta and Sikorsky helicopters. [22], In addition to being the founder and Chairman of Portland Holdings Inc., Mr. Lee-Chin is chairman and director of Mandeville Holdings Inc. and Executive Chairman, CEO, and Portfolio Manager of Portland Investment Counsel Inc.[23][24]. He was like, Jonathan, there are opportunities there.. All Rights Reserved. The string of regional banking failures that doomed SVB, First Republic and Signature Bank is causing regulators to fundamentally rethink how the government insures bank accounts. 2. She would want her greatest achievement, her family, to love each other and live in harmony, because love is the greatest legacy that she could have.. The island is famous for its reggae music, with legendary artists like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh having their roots in Jamaica. Lee-Chin is also a dedicated philanthropist and has pledged and donated more than $60 million to hospitals, universities and, most notably, the Royal Ontario Museum, where the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal is named in honour of his $30-million pledge. He financed his first year at university on his own but after that was able to attend on scholarship. Lee-Chin and his fellow asset managers pushed through, and eventually sold the firm to Manulife Financial Corp. for an undisclosed amount in 2009. He switched careers and became a mutual fund salesman. When I worked with him, people would say, Michael is a hard-nosed businessman, just because he was successful, he said. He said he was stunned by Lee-Chins willingness to put his own money on the table. The New England Patriots stopped the slide of former LSU standout Kayshon Boutte in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft. Lee-Chin separated from his wife Vera Lee-Chin in 1991 after having three children (Michael Jr., Paul, and Adrian). Following the acquisition of AIC Limited, Lee-Chin set up the Berkshire group of companies comprising an investment planning arm, a securities dealership and an insurance operation. But there was pressure to do it, just to keep a strong financial position, Wellum said. It is also a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors with its laid-back atmosphere, delectable cuisine, and a range of adventure activities such as hiking, snorkeling, and zip-lining. [39] So far, it has made a number of large-scale investments. He made his fortune by investing in financial companies including National Commercial Bank (NCB) in which he owns a majority stake. The gift established the Michael Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He worked briefly for the Jamaican government as a civil engineer on the Mandela Highway. Both his parents were biracial African and Jamaican-Chinese. While at the company, in 1983, he secured a loan from the Continental Bank of Canada for C$500,000 to purchase a stake in Mackenzie Financial Group and formed Kicks Athletics with Andrew Gayle. Lee-Chin was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2017. He renamed the company AIC, and developed it to a fund that today controls around C$6 Billion, with hundreds of thousands of investors. In 1987, Lee-Chin took the proceeds from his Mackenzie investment to buy a Kitchener-based company called the Advantage Investment Council (a division of AIC Limited) for $200,000. A controlling interest in CVM Communications Group (consisting of radio and television stations and newspapers) was purchased at the same time. Michael Lee-Chin was born on 3 January, 1951 in Port Antonio, Jamaica, is a Canadian businessman. The next year, he got a summer job working on the Jamaica Queen cruise ship, cleaning the engine room. He is a self-made man and made his money through a combination of successful investments and entrepreneurship. He set off for McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., to study civil engineering with $2,000 in his pocket, enough for the first year, and no plans on how to pay for the rest of it. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Markland Street Asset Management, which launched the Oil Sands Sector Fund, raised C$430 million in one of Canada's largest closed-end IPOs. Lee-Chin bounced between jobs at a cruise line and aluminum bauxite plant, until he applied to universities in Canada. Jamaica's Michael Lee-Chin ranked at 12 on the list of 15 black billionaires named by Forbes for 2022 with US$1.6 billion in net worth. We have enabled email notificationsyou will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Among them were the hospitality operations of the Trident Villas and Spa in Jamaica, Reggae Beach, and Blue Lagoon. This caused investments to grow from US$8 million in 1990 to nearly US$8 billion by 1998. Lee-Chin has come a long way from humble beginnings in Port Antonio, Jamaica. On 5 October 2006, Lee-Chin announced his resignation as CEO of AIC, to be replaced by Jonathan Wellum, AIC's chief investment officer. One of the first black billionaires on the Forbes list, he once cleaned engine rooms on a cruise ship and now his 378 feet yacht has an IMAX cinema, a duplex owner's suite, and two helipads. Discover Michael Lee-Chin's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. The pair officially separated in 1997 and are now divorced. Lee-Chin had split from his wife Vera in 1990, after 16 years of marriage. Here, the breakdown of what the post positions in the Derby will mean. His net worth is $1.5 billion. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. Lee-Chin, who made much of his estimated US$1.5-billion fortune investing in financial services and mutual fund firms instead of chasing frothy tech stocks in the late 1990s, said the current market conditions remind him of the run-up to the dot-com bubble burst of the early aughts. Although initially referred to as ENZO, the yachts actual name is AHPO, which could be an abbreviation for Grandma.. [26], In November 2003, AIC was part of a regulatory investigation involving 105 Canadian mutual funds companies. In 1977, Lee-Chin became a financial advisor for Investors Group in Hamilton. The details about yacht ownership as stated on this site and in our Yacht Owners Register are sometimes based on rumors. In his early years, Michael Lee-Chin was a road engineer for the Jamaican government, before he founded Portland Holdings, a privately held investment company. (Luxury travels of the Billionaire Boys Club). According to Forbes, Lee-Chin's real time net worth as of April 6, 2021, totaled $1.6 billion, which ranked him as Number 1,931 on the full list of the world's billionaires. Canadian Business magazine named Lee-Chin one of the richest people in Canada. He studied some of the wealthiest people in the world, including Warren Buffett, and found that self-made millionaires and billionaires had a few things in common. In Draft Flier Kayshon Boutte, The New England Patriots Hope To Find All The Potential In The World, Hunter Biden Paternity Case: Arkansas Judge Orders Presidents Son To Answer Questions About Finances, Donald Trump Agrees To Appear At CNN Town Hall In New Hampshire, FDIC Suggests Scrapping $250,000 Bank Account Insurance LimitBut Just For Businesses, Wolfsburg Reach Womens Champions League Final In Front Of Record Attendance. Even his style of philanthropy heralds a certain unceremonious swagger that contradicts nearly every element of the Canadian archetype. His mother sold Avon products and worked as a bookkeeper, while his stepfather ran a local grocery store. Portland owns a variety of businesses that operate in sectors such as financial services, telecommunications, Myriad factors, the COVID-19 pandemic included, slowed Jamaicas growth. They had ridden the wave of the booming wealth management industry so well that they had increased the value of assets under management to nearly $10 billion by 1998 from $12 million at the start of the decade. April 18, 2023. In 2016, Lee-Chin was appointed chairman of the government of Jamaica's Economic Growth Council (EGC). The two made plans for the family to relocate to the United States in the late 1970s, but the couple had a change of heart because son Wayne was a university student and had expressed a desire to remain in Jamaica. Lee-Chin worked briefly as a road engineer for the Jamaican government. Self-test kit users urged to report positive case, Second-generation Jamaican wins Florida House seat , Taxi operator gunned down in Green Island, Hanover, No reports of Jamaicans in regions of Sudan conflict Johnson Smith, Update | NWC aiming to resolve Fairy Hill water issues by tomorrow, Gov't requests probe of leak of discussions on UWI Mona principal appointment, Police probe double murder at People's Arcade in MoBay, Protesting residents mount roadblocks in Eastern Portland, Lecturer calls for mentorship to open girls eyes to possibilities in tech, Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica message not reaching citizens, activist fears, Applications open for JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation scholarships, Digital Archives: Online editions 2006-Now. In September 2014, Lee-Chin and his family donated $10 million to the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation. Lee-Chin asked if Wellum was interested in coming aboard at AIC, which, in 1990, had around 100 clients, $12 million in assets, and just a few people on staff. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. So, how much is Michael Lee-Chin worth at the age of 70 years of age. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 3 January. Portland partnered with the Canadian Risley Group to form Columbus Communications Ltd a Barbadian corporation that holds controlling interest in a number of telecommunications providers in the Caribbean including Cable Bahamas Ltd, Caribbean Crossings Ltd, Merit Communications Ltd, and FibralLink Jamaica Ltd. '50% correction': Why Canada's office real estate sector is heading for a reckoning, David Rosenberg: Which assets have priced in a recession and which ones haven't. It had been a remarkable run. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Michael Lee-Chin was born 3 January 1951 in Port Antonio, Jamaica. With thousands of daily visitors and a strong growth rate,SuperYachtFan became one of thelargest superyacht sites. Like every other billionaire, the tycoon has been described as a "yacht connoisseur." The Apho was built by the German . In 1983, Lee-Chin secured a $500,000 loan from the Continental Bank of Canada to buy stocks from Mackenzie Financial Corporation. The investors were calmed by the purchase, and the stock was later sold to Investor Group (the same company Lee-Chin had worked for in the 1980s) at more than twice the price AIC had paid for it. The couple have three children: Michael Jr., Paul and Adrian. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. He is a member of famous Chairman with the age 72 years old group. When using the information from this article, please remember to give credit to SuperYachtFan. When I asked whether this was the key to business success, he laughed and said, No, its just the secret to being nutritionally well-fed.. Lee-Chin describes the market since 1990 as "a series of rolling speculations", and now "we see a commodities bubble". With an asking price of 330 million, rumors are swirling that AHPO has recently changed hands. waste management, tourism, agriculture and media. Theres another saying for it: die-worse-ify, he said. In another story that she would tell me years later, when Hurricane Charlie came in 1952, she walked with her shoes in her hand because it was the only good pair of shoes she owned, through the rain, to make sure Mike [Michael] was OK, Chen revealed as he chronicled a story of triumph over trials. and acquired the Trident Hotel in Jamaica. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Our team works hard to provide accurate and engaging content for our readers, and we appreciate your support. The couple have three children: Michael Jr., Paul and Adrian. Wayne confirmed the news in a tweet on Saturday before other well-known Jamaicans started reacting, including Minister of Entertainment and Culture Olivia 'Babsy' Grange. When he was seven, Lee-Chins mother married Vincent Chen, who had a son from a previous relationship. However, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) did find that over the 19992003 period, AIC permitted specific third party investors to engage in market timing trades in AIC Funds that generated profits of $127 million. Opinion: Were deeper in debt than Ottawa lets on. You create wealth by doing today, what people will be doing tomorrow., Email: mcoulton@postmedia.com | Twitter: marisacoulton. (Photos by JetPhotos.com, Planespotters.net;flightaware.com;flickr.com;picssr.com;planefinder.net) Do you want us to remove a certain photo? He tries not to check his phone, but gives the screen a cursory glance to see if there are any emergencies at Portland Holdings. The native of Jamaica acquired AIC in 1987, when it had less than $1 million in assets under management. He lives with his wife Sonya Hamilton in this large mansion in Ontario, and a residence in Jamaica. That was a low point in my life, he said, because when youre not working, and youre trying to get a job, and you get rejected, it kills your self-esteem.. It didnt blow up. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. His savvy investments quickly propelled him to millionaire status in his 30s. We reserve the right to publish any information submitted to us. The Chens bought a supermarket in Mandeville in 1980 after taking a two-year hiatus from operating another outlet in Christiania that they had purchased in 1973. Its like magnets and iron shavings, said Lee-Chin. Full name: Michael Lee-Chin Nationality: Jamaican-Canadian Born: January 3, 1951 (age 70 years), Port Antonio, Jamaica Spouse: Vera Lee-Chin (m. 1974) Net worth: 1.6 billion USD (2021) Forbes Partner: Sonya Hamilton Wait For More.. Children: Adrian Lee-Chin, Paul Lee-Chin, Elizabeth Lee-Chin, Maria Lee-Chin, Michael Lee-Chin Jr. He had no interest in diversifying his assets, a bread-and-butter strategy that many portfolio managers follow. Later, he studied civil engineering and business economics, eventually starting his financial career as an advisor for an investment company. [29][30] Vera Lee-Chin had contested the terms of the separation agreement, claiming that Lee-Chin did not disclose his actual wealth at the time of the separation. His privately held investment company Portland Holdings owns a diverse portfolio of businesses in sectors such as media, tourism, and natural resources. Please try again. Today, NCB is the largest financial institution in Jamaica. This was an instant success as many people around the world are interested in, or curious about, these multi-million dollar yachts and their wealthy owners. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The government of Jamaica took notice. High interest rates and rising vacancies are sending tremors through the sector, S&P 500 is treating recession probabilities as a flip of a coin, You have enough to retire if you are comfortable with your situation, expert says, Canadas debt position isnt so enviable after all, The electric mobility paradigm needs to be recognized for what it has been: a technical and fiscal flop, 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. Michael Lee-Chin, OJ, OOnt (born 3 January 1951) is a Jamaican-Canadian billionaire businessman, and philanthropist and the chairman and CEO of Portland Holdings Inc, a privately held investment company in Ontario, Canada. It is one of the most popular business jets on the market, offering a combination of range, speed, and comfort that makes it an ideal choice for executive travel.The Global Express was first introduced in the 1990s and has since become one of the most popular business jets in the world. It recovered throughout the early 1990s by maintaining investments in large groups, such as Merrill Lynch and TD bank (formerly Toronto Dominion). He was ranked number 20 (as of 2017), with a net worth of $3.95 billion. Lee-Chin was reluctant to invest in the dotcom boom, and saw AIC investments lose 8 per cent in value, even as the S&P gained 56 per cent. The content of this website and all associated media are subject to copyright. He invested in ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE, a biotechnology group of precision oncology companies working on perfecting techniques such as peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, a cancer treatment where patients are injected with a cell-targeting protein, combined with radioactive material a radiopeptide. If you don't think so, Michael Lee-Chin may change your mind", "Titchfield Old Students' Association Newsletter & Events", "National Commercial Bank of Jamaica Board of Directors", "Michael Lee-Chin Every mickle makes a muckle The acquisition king", "Smart Money Capital Management Inc. and Mandeville Private Client Inc. Democratizing Wealth for Canadians", "Buy, hold, and prosper Cover Story investment strategies", "Settlement Agreement: In the Matter of AIC Limited", "Questions linger as investigation winds down", "Michael Lee-Chin | the Canadian Encyclopedia", "Crystal Myths: Behind the ROM's philanthropic faade", "John Risley And Michael Lee-Chin The Cable Guys", "Michael Lee-Chin shares inspiration for largest donation in Burlington's history", "Three Burlington philanthropists honoured", "IMF Concludes 2002 Article IV Consultation with Jamaica", "Lee Chin secures US$80m for Caribbean fund", "Messages the Writings of Michael Lee-Chin", "Lee-Chin sticks to his guns at AIC Advantage fund focuses on wealth management", "Billionaire Lee-Chin bullish on Bermuda | The Royal Gazette:Bermuda Business", Lee Chin secures US$80m for Caribbean fund, Michael Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Lee-Chin&oldid=1147248372, Columbus Communications Jamaica Ltd / Flow Jamaica, Dynamic Corp, a company in the making Eastern Cable Network Ltd, Columbus Communications Trinidad Ltd/Flow Trinidad, Columbus Communications Grenada Ltd/Flow Grenada, Total Finance Bank of Trinidad & Tobago Ltd, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 18:43. Mandeville includes an investment dealer, a mutual fund and exempt market dealer and life insurance services. Lee-Chin and his family have made several sizeable donations. By 2007, Berkshire amassed more than C$12 billion of assets under administration. He met Lee-Chin in the weight room at McMaster University, where they were both alumni. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Our reporting is copied and/or used by many international media companies. Michael Lee-Chin made a fortune investing in financial companies like National Commercial Bank Jamaica and AIC Limited. Do you know more about his houses? He is from Jamaica. But it was a tough time.. So, I did what any university student would do, he said. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. In 2016, Lee-Chin was appointed chair of the government of Jamaicas Economic Growth Council. In 2002, Portland acquired 75 per cent interest in National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB), and Lee-Chin became its executive chairman. He loves to help people, said Wellum. It just seems to be a fundamental part of who he is.. She said be honest, because your name and reputation is everything; be humble, be hardworking, make every day count, be helpful, look out for others and share what you have, never compromise your standards and, be hopeful. Hyacinth later met and married husband Vincent, and the two moved to Priory, St Ann, for a short stint before moving to Mandeville permanently, where they continued their entrepreneurial activities. Our team will be reviewing your submission and get back to you with any further questions. Michael Lee-Chin's fortune is mostly his 60% stake in National Commercial Bank Jamaica. He worked there for two years and then moved on to become regional manager of Regal Capital Planners. work for the government upon graduation. You dont create any wealth by doing what people are doing now, he said.

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