PEOPLE
MEET THE LOCALS
B
usiness visitors to Bermuda will usually get a kick out of the fact that it is impossible to walk the streets of the City of Hamilton without seeing someone who looks familiar, be it from the front page of the Island’s daily newspaper, last night’s CNN news, sitting in first class on the way down or from the up-market restaurant clientele they were part of last night. Bermuda, it would seem, is a magnet for many of the world’s most interesting individuals, and the Island manages to produce a few stars of its own as well. Don’t be surprised if you bump into one of our ‘locals’.
Michael Bloomberg Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has been a long-time admirer of Bermuda, owning home in Tucker’s Town that he regularly visits. He can often be seen playing golf at exclusive Mid Ocean Club, just a short iron from his property. The former Mayor of New York is the founder of Bloomberg LP which is the leading source in the world of financial data. His fortune is thought to be in the region of $5bn and as a philanthropist he has donated millions of dollars to cultural, educational and medical causes.
Bruce Gordon Australian Bruce Gordon is a self-made multi-millionaire who spends most of his time on his 26-acre estate in Tucker’s Town, Bermuda. According to Forbes, his wealth peaked at $1 billion although it is now estimated to be about $620 million. His company Win Corp owns Australia’s largest privately held TV network.
Ross Perot Until his death in July 2019, Ross Perot was a part-time resident of Bermuda and was perhaps best known as a two-time US Presidential candidate. He made his fortune, estimated by Forbes at $3.5 billion, in IT. He sold his firm, Perot Systems, to Dell in 2009. As a young man Perot spent several years in the US Navy, which may have explained his fondness for skimming over Bermuda’s waters in one of his magnificent speedboats. His family still own two luxury properties in toney Tucker’s Town.
Silvio Berlusconi The media tycoon and former Prime Minister of Italy has been a frequent criminal defendant in recent years. But
he remains a powerful figure in Italian politics and his $9 billion fortune does not seem to have been affected by his recent judicial troubles. “Blue Horizon”, his estate in Tucker’s Town, looks as splendid as ever.
Michael Douglas Who is the most famous Bermudian? Without doubt, Michael Douglas whose mother Diana Dill’s Bermudian bloodlines go back to 1630. Douglas and his family recently announced an $85 million redevelopment of their Ariel Sands hotel. The property has been in Douglas’s family since the 1840s and Dill family members began running it as Ariel Sands Beach Club in 1954. The new luxury resort will consist of 85 Bermuda Business Visitor 2020 23