Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun built their fortunes in very different industries, yet both became prominent international business figures through long-term expansion and ownership. Murdoch built a global media empire spanning newspapers, television and publishing, while Lei Jun transformed Xiaomi from a smartphone company into a broader technology and electric-vehicle business. Their backgrounds, education, family lives, careers and sources of wealth also differ considerably. Forbes currently estimates Murdoch and family at $25.2 billion and Lei Jun at $21.1 billion, based on separate September 2026 real-time estimates.
Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun Quick Bio
| Detail | Rupert Murdoch | Lei Jun |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Keith Rupert Murdoch | Lei Jun |
| Date of Birth | March 11, 1931 | December 16, 1969 |
| Net Worth | Estimated $25.2 billion — Rupert Murdoch & family, Forbes real-time estimate, Sept. 16, 2026 | Estimated $21.1 billion — Forbes real-time estimate, Sept. 11, 2026 |
| Age | 95 years | 56 years |
| Birthplace | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Xiantao, Hubei, China |
| Nationality | Australian-born; U.S. citizen | Chinese |
| Citizenship | United States | China |
| Profession | Media proprietor, businessman and investor | Entrepreneur, technology executive and investor |
| Famous For | Building a global media empire | Founding and leading Xiaomi |
| Nickname | “Red Rupert” is an informal historical reference; no consistently documented official nickname | “China’s Steve Jobs” — a media comparison rather than an official nickname |
| Parents | Sir Keith Murdoch and Elisabeth Joy Greene Murdoch | Both parents were teachers |
| Siblings | Three sisters: Helen, Anne and Janet | Specific sibling information is limited in major public biographies |
| Education | Worcester College, University of Oxford | Wuhan University; Computer Science degree |
| Degree | Oxford education in philosophy, politics and economics | Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Engineering |
| Career Started | 1952, after inheriting his father’s newspaper interests | 1992, when he joined Kingsoft |
| Main Company | News Corp and Fox-related businesses | Xiaomi |
| Other Major Business Links | The Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News and other media assets | Kingsoft, JOYY, Shunwei Capital and technology investments |
| Industry | Media, publishing, television and entertainment | Technology, smartphones, consumer electronics and automobiles |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 10 in (178 cm), estimated | Approximately 5 ft 8–5 ft 10 in (173–178 cm), estimated |
| Weight | Approximately 75–82 kg, estimated | Approximately 70–75 kg, estimated |
| Hair Color | Gray/white in later-life photographs | Black/dark |
| Eye Color | Unverified | Dark brown/black, estimated |
| Marital Status | Married | Married |
| Current Spouse | Elena Zhukova | Zhang Tong |
| Number of Marriages | Five | Publicly documented as married |
| Children | Six | Two |
| Family | Six children from three marriages | Wife Zhang Tong and two children |
| Hobbies | Horseback riding is documented as a childhood interest; current hobbies are not comprehensively documented | Technology and electronics have been long-standing interests; current hobby list is limited |
| No confirmed official personal Instagram account established | @leijun_xiaomi has been reported as his Instagram account | |
| Business Focus | Newspapers, television, publishing, cable news and entertainment | Smartphones, smart devices, software and electric vehicles |
| Major Career Milestone | Expanded from Australian newspapers into British and American media | Founded Xiaomi in 2010 |
| Early Major Company | News Limited / News Corporation | Kingsoft |
| Major Acquisition/Expansion | Acquired major newspapers including The Sun, The Times and New York Post | Expanded Xiaomi from smartphones into a broad connected-device ecosystem |
| U.S. Business | Purchased the New York Post in 1976 and developed Fox businesses | Xiaomi expanded its international consumer technology operations |
| Electric Vehicle Business | Not a core business | Xiaomi entered electric vehicles with the SU7 in 2024 |
| Leadership Role | Chairman emeritus of Fox Corporation and News Corp since 2023 | Founder, Chairman and CEO of Xiaomi |
| Major 2013 Event | News Corporation was separated into publishing and entertainment businesses | — |
| Major 2019 Event | Disney acquired much of 21st Century Fox | — |
| Major 2021 Event | — | Announced Xiaomi’s electric-vehicle ambitions |
| Major 2023 Event | Stepped down as chairman of Fox and News Corp | Continued leading Xiaomi |
| Major 2024 Event | Married Elena Zhukova | Xiaomi launched the SU7 electric vehicle |
| Current Business Direction | Media ownership and family business succession | Technology, smartphones, smart devices and electric vehicles |
| Estimated Wealth Source | Newspapers and television/media networks | Smartphones, automobiles and technology investments |
| Residence | New York, United States | Beijing, China |
| Career Length | More than seven decades | More than three decades |
| A–Z Identity | Global media proprietor | Chinese technology entrepreneur |
| Last Word | A veteran media businessman whose career reshaped international publishing and television | A technology entrepreneur who expanded Xiaomi from smartphones into a wider technology and mobility business |
Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun Images
