Michael Smurfit facts for kids

Sir Michael Smurfit is a very successful businessman who was born in England and is from Ireland. He was born on August 7, 1936. He is known for building a huge packaging company and for his love of golf. He has been recognized for his achievements and his support for good causes.

Early Life and Education

Michael Smurfit was born in St Helens, Merseyside, England. He went to school at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare, Ireland. He left school when he was a teenager.

In 1955, he joined his father's company, which was called Jefferson Smurfit & Sons Ltd. He quickly moved up in the company. By 1977, he became the chairman and chief executive officer. He held these important roles until he retired as CEO in November 2002.

Building a Business Empire

Michael Smurfit helped his company, Jefferson Smurfit Group, grow a lot. He expanded the business first in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Then, he bought many other companies in the United States, Latin America, and Europe.

As chairman, he led a big event where the Smurfit Group joined with another company called Kappa Packaging BV. Together, they formed a new company called Smurfit Kappa. This new company became very large, with 42,000 employees in 33 countries across five continents.

Michael Smurfit also has other business interests. He is a director at Ballymore International, which is a company that develops and invests in properties. He also has investments in other smaller businesses.

He used to own a famous golf resort called the K Club in County Kildare, Ireland. He sold the K Club in November 2019.

Hobbies and Collections

Michael Smurfit has many interests outside of business. He is a member of several sports and social clubs in different countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Monaco, and Spain.

He owns a very large and luxurious yacht. He also has an impressive art collection called the Smurfit Art Collection. This collection includes about 500 pieces of art by famous Irish artists. He spent over 20 years building this collection.

Smurfit also paid for a bronze statue called Anna Livia. This statue used to be in Dublin, Ireland. People sometimes called it the Floozie in the Jacuzzi.

Personal Life and Family

Michael Smurfit lives in Monte Carlo. He has two daughters and four sons. His son, Tony Smurfit, is now the CEO of Smurfit Kappa, following in his father's footsteps. Michael Smurfit is also the uncle of the Irish actress Victoria Smurfit.

In November 2002, he was recognized for his charity work. He was appointed as a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I.

Awards and Honors

Michael Smurfit has received many important honors. In 2005, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. This is a very high honor in the United Kingdom.

The postgraduate business school at University College Dublin is named after him. It is called the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business. This was done to thank him for his generous financial support to the university. In 1996, he also received an award called the Cross of Merit with Gold Star for his support of Christians in the Holy Land.