Nick Politis
{{short description|Australian businessman and rugby league administrator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nick Politis
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|08|25|df=y}}
| birth_name = Nicholas George Politis
| birth_place = Kythira, Greece
| nationality = Australian
| other_names = {{ubl|The Godfather |Uncle Nick}}
| education = Ipswich Grammar School
| alma_mater = University of Queensland
| occupation = Businessman
| boards = {{unbulleted list|Sydney Roosters|Eagers Automotive|WFM Motors|Motor Traders' Association of NSW}}
| years_active = 1974–present
| known_for =
| awards = {{unbulleted list|{{nowrap|Member of the Order of Australia}}|Greek-Australian Sports Hall of Fame}}
}}
Nicholas George Politis {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}}{{cite web|last1=Poulos|first1=George|title=Nicholas (Nick) George Politis|url=http://www.kythera-family.net/en/people/notable-kytherians/nicholas-nick-george-politis-7605|website=kythera-family.net|date=16 June 2005 |publisher=Kytherian Association of Australia & James Prineas|access-date=27 April 2016}} (born 25 August 1944) is a Greek-born Australian businessman and chairman of the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. Politis is also responsible for the first sponsorship on a professional rugby league team's jersey.
Early life
Politis was born in Kythira, Greece. In the late 1940s, Politis and his family immigrated to Australia, settling in Ipswich, Queensland.{{cite web|last1=Proszenko|first1=Adrian|title=I sit back, watch. You learn more that way|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/i-sit-back-watch-you-learn-more-that-way-20100807-11pfd.html|website=Sydney Morning Herald |date=7 August 2010 |access-date=27 June 2014}} The family moved to the town of Blackall, living there for a number of years before returning to Ipswich. Politis attended Ipswich Grammar School for his final four years of high school, graduating in 1962. In 1964, he graduated from the University of Queensland.{{cite web|url=https://www.igsoldboys.com/politis-reaches-25-year-milestone/|title=Politis reaches 25 year milestone|publisher=Ipswich Grammar School|access-date=20 February 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/11/20/slick-nick-how-politis-kicked-off-at-the-roosters/|title=Slick Nick: How Politis kicked off at the Roosters|publisher=NRL|last=Prenter|first=Geoff|date=20 November 2018 |access-date=20 February 2020}}
Business interests
Politis ran and expanded WFM Motors Pty Ltd from March 1974, rebranding its marketing name as City Ford and transforming it into one of the largest Ford dealerships in Australia.{{cite web|title=City Ford History |url=http://www.cityford.com.au/service/service-specials/item/152-city-ford-history |publisher=The Internet Archive |access-date=27 June 2014 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215921/http://www.cityford.com.au/service/service-specials/item/152-city-ford-history |archive-date=4 October 2013 }} The business has been sponsors of the Roosters since 1976, when the club set a new precedent of having major sponsors' names appearing on their jerseys – making Politis the first sponsor in rugby league.{{cite web|last1=Crawley|first1=Paul|title=Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis' plan to keep Sonny Bill Williams in Bondi|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/nrl/sydney-roosters-supremo-nick-politis-plan-to-keep-sonny-bill-williams-in-bondi/story-fniabok7-1226729528517|website=Perth Now |date=29 September 2013 |access-date=27 June 2014}} As controlling shareholder of Australian Health Care Ltd., he was responsible for its failed sorties into the Australian hospital market, including the celebrated LaTrobe Regional Hospital fiasco, where tens of millions were lost in disastrous contract management.{{cite web|url=https://www.uow.edu.au/~bmartin/dissent/documents/health/la_trobe.html|title=The LaTrobe Privatisation, Revelations of secret owner when FOI documents released|publisher=University of Wollongong|last=Wynne|first=Michael|access-date=26 December 2016}}; {{cite news |title=Car Yard King Behind Hospital |work=The Age |date=1 June 1999 }}
In March 2014, Politis' NGP Investments (No.2) purchased Barloworld's Australian car sales business for $130 million.{{cite web |title=JWS acts for Barloworld in Australian disposal |url=http://www.jws.com.au/en/media-releases-archive/item/385-jws-acts-for-barloworld-in-australian-disposal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403061539/https://www.jws.com.au/en/media-releases-archive/item/385-jws-acts-for-barloworld-in-australian-disposal |archive-date=3 April 2018 |url-status=dead |access-date=26 December 2016 |publisher=Johnson Winter Slattery}}
In 2016, Politis sold the site of his Thomson Ford business in Parramatta to property developer Dyldham for an estimated $70 million.{{cite news|url=http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/4230961/parramatta-eels-tax-office-and-widow-chase-property-developer-dyldam/?cs=12|title=Parramatta Eels, Tax Office and widow chase property developer Dyldam|newspaper=Goulburn Post|last=McClymont|first=Kate|date=16 October 2016 |access-date=26 December 2016}}
Sydney Roosters
Since May 30, 1993, Politis has been the chairman of the Sydney Roosters. After the Roosters won the 2002 NRL Grand Final, he joined the players in getting a premiership logo tattooed on his arm. He has been described as being ranked "among the most powerful, influential and ruthless figures in rugby league since taking over as Roosters chairman". Politis is sometimes affectionately known as "The Godfather" or "Uncle Nick".
Politis was responsible for getting Sonny Bill Williams to return to rugby league with the Roosters after his five-year ban from the NRL, for walking-out on the Bulldogs mid-season in 2008, expired in 2013. Politis reportedly made a handshake agreement with Williams to this effect years prior.{{cite web|last1=Pandaram|first1=Jamie|title=Sonny Bill Williams regrets agreement to return to NRL|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/sonny-bill-williams-regrets-agreement-to-return-to-nrl/story-fn8ti7yn-1226457023497|website=Daily Telegraph |access-date=27 June 2014}} According to prominent player agent, Sam Ayoub, "there’s no doubt Sonny would not have returned to the NRL if not for Nick Politis."{{cite web|last1=Cleary|first1=Matt|title=Sydney Roosters' Challenge|url=http://www.insidesport.com.au/features/sydney-roosters-challenge/|website=Inside Sport|publisher=nextmedia|access-date=27 June 2014}} That year, the Roosters achieved the trifecta of winning the minor premiership, NRL premiership and World Club Challenge.
Politis was chairman when the Roosters won back-to-back premierships in 2018 and 2019.
Personal life
His father was a vet in his homeland of Greece, before moving to Australia. Politis is a member of the Greek-Australian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2014, Politis was appointed a Member of the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to rugby league football as an administrator.{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=1150104 |date=9 June 2014 |recipient=Mr Nicholas George POLITIS |award=Member of the Order of Australia |postnominal=AM |citation=For significant service to rugby league football as an administrator. |postscript= |access-date=24 November 2020 }}{{cite web|title=Nick Politis, Phil Gould, Ray Warren given Queen's Birthday Honours|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nick-politis-phil-gould-ray-warren-given-queens-birthday-honours-20140608-zs1af.html|website=Sydney Morning Herald|date=8 June 2014 |access-date=27 April 2016}}
=Net worth =
Politis first appeared in the BRW magazine Rich 200 in 2010 when his net worth was estimated at {{AUD}}182 million. In 2017, the list was rebranded as the Financial Review Rich List. {{as of|2025|05}}, Politis' net worth was assessed at {{AUD}}2.58 billion.
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See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Sydney Roosters}}
{{Portal bar|Sports}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Politis, Nick}}
Category:Greek emigrants to Australia
Category:Australian rugby league administrators
Category:Rugby league chairmen and investors
Category:Members of the Order of Australia
Category:Australian billionaires
Category:Businesspeople from Queensland
Category:People from Blackall, Queensland