Ananda Krishnan

Ananda Krishnan is currently Malaysia's second richest businessman, having a net worth estimated at 3.2 billion dollars . Krishnan is the man who built the Petronas Twin Towers, one of the world's tallest buildings.

He is also the owner of two telecommunocations companies - Maxis Communications and MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems - and has two communication satellites circumnavigating the earth. Maxis Communications Bhd, Malaysia?s biggest cellular phone company, has more than 2 million subscribers, with more than 30% market share in Malaysia. He is also the head of Astro All Asia Networks Plc, the only company that is currently providing cable TV in Malaysia.

MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd offers direct to home 30 television channels and 16 radio channels in a clear digital format. Krishnan's company Usaha Tegas Entertainment Systems Sdn Bhd will be planning to launch a Mandrin Chinese movie channel. Krishnan has a chain of multiplex theatres which holds more than 800 movie titles.

Ananda Krishnan studied in Vivekananda Tamil School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Later, he attended the University of Melbourne for B.A. (Honours) degree. After that Krishnan attended the Harvard University for a Masters in Business Administration in 1964. After his masters, Ananda Krishnan?s first entrepreneurial venture is into oil trading. Later he moved into gambling (in Malaysia), stud farming (in Australia) and running a Hollywood cartoon studio.

Krishnan is a close friend of former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.