Michael Smurfit facts for kids

Sir Michael Smurfit (born 7 August 1936) is a very successful businessman. He was born in England but is known as an Irish businessman. He has achieved great things in the business world.

Early Life and Career

Michael Smurfit was born in St Helens, Merseyside, England. He went to school at Clongowes Wood College in Ireland. When he was a teenager, he left school. In 1955, he started working for his father's company, which was called Jefferson Smurfit & Sons Ltd.

He quickly moved up in the company. In 1967, he became a joint managing director. By 1977, he was the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Jefferson Smurfit Group. He stayed in this important role until he retired as CEO in 2002.

Building a Business Empire

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

He was in charge when the Smurfit Group joined with another company called Kappa Packaging BV. This created a huge new company called Smurfit Kappa. This combined company became very big, with 42,000 employees in 33 countries across five continents. Michael Smurfit also has investments in other businesses, including Ballymore International, which develops properties.

He used to own a famous golf club and hotel called the K Club in County Kildare, Ireland. He sold it in 2019.

Hobbies and Collections

Michael Smurfit enjoys being a member of various sports and social clubs. He has clubs in different countries like Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Monaco, and Spain.

He also owns a very large and fancy yacht. Michael Smurfit is known for his amazing art collection, called the Smurfit Art Collection. It includes beautiful artworks by famous Irish artists such as John Lavery, William Orpen, Louis le Brocquy, and Jack B. Yeats.

He also paid for a bronze statue called Anna Livia. It used to be in Dublin, Ireland. People sometimes called it the Floozie in the Jacuzzi as a nickname.

Family and Honors

Michael Smurfit has two daughters and four sons. He lives in Monte Carlo. 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.

He has received several special honors for his work and for helping others. In 2002, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I. This was to recognize his efforts in charity and helping people.

In 2005, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE). This is a very high honor in the United Kingdom. Also, a business school at University College Dublin is named after him, the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business. This was to thank him for his financial support. In 1996, he received another award, the Cross of Merit with Gold Star, for helping Christians in the Holy Land.