Tony Fernandes

Tan Sri Anthony Francis Fernandes PSM, CBE (born 30 April 1964) is a Malaysian entrepreneur.

Until July 2023, he was the majority shareholder of Queens Park Rangers F.C.. Fernandes was born in Kuala Lumpur on 30 April 1964 to an Indian father (originally from Goa)[2] and a mother of mixed Indian (Malayalis)[3] and Asian-Portuguese (Kristang) descent who had been raised in Malacca, Malaysia.

Discovery) announced its merger with America Online, Fernandes left the company to pursue his dream of starting a budget no-frills airline.

[10][11] It was through the late Datuk Pahamin A. Rajab, the former secretary-general of the Malaysian Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry that Fernandes came to meet with then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in October 2001.

He believed Malaysian travellers would embrace a cut-rate air service that would save them time and money, especially in a tight economy.

[14] He was also instrumental in lobbying the then-Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in mid-2003, to propose the idea of open skies agreements with neighbouring Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Thai AirAsia, a joint venture with Shin Corporation, Thailand's largest telecommunication conglomerate, took to the skies in Feb 2004 and has to-date carried over 1 million passengers in its first year of operations.

[16] In 2018 Fernandes announced that more low-cost carrier terminals would be developed,[17] and confirmed that while AirAsia needed new planes, he had not yet decided on an aircraft manufacturer.

[18] Fernandes’ plans to expand include bidding on the operations and maintenance contract for Clark International Airport in the Philippines.

[20][21] A month later, Fernandes was reinstated as CEO of AirAsia after the Airbus bribery allegations probe was cleared by Britain's Serious Fraud Office of any wrongdoing.

However, the date of the flight was delayed several times: first because of Branson breaking his leg, then because of the royal wedding, and later because of a fire at the Necker Island.

In October 2014, Tony Fernandes sold the team to Teddy Yip Jr. and he relocated it to Silverstone to merge with Status Grand Prix.

Former West Ham chairman Andrew Bernhardt even flew to Kuala Lumpur to try and finalise the deal, but the two parties failed to agree on the price.

"[35] On 18 August 2011, just three months after Queens Park Rangers' promotion back to the Premier League following a 15-year absence, Fernandes was unveiled as their majority shareholder, having bought Bernie Ecclestone's 66% stake.

While Neil Warnock remained as the club's manager for their return to the top-flight, a run of eight Premier League games without a win eventually led to his sacking.

[38] Despite their new manager, QPR's poor run of form continued, which left them fighting for Premier League survival on the final day of the 2011–2012 season.

Relegation rivals Bolton Wanderers needed a win to have any chance of survival, but could only muster a draw with Stoke City,[39] meaning QPR were safe, despite losing 3–2 to Manchester City after Sergio Agüero's injury-time winner – a goal which stole the Premier League title from arch-rivals Manchester United on goal difference.

[41][42] Fernandes hired former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp on 24 November 2012,[43][44] but he was also unable to solve QPR's problems.

[45] Speaking to the media just one week after Rangers' relegation back to the Championship, Fernandes said he had been exploited since he took over at Loftus Road.

[49] He planned to step down and hand over the position of co-chairman to vice chairman Amit Bhatia,[49] a change finalised on 15 August 2018.

[52] On 14 October 2017, Fernandes married a South Korean actress, Chloe Kim, at Hotel Cap Estel, in Èze on the French Riviera after having dated her for more than two years.

Tony Fernandes watching QPR v Newcastle alongside Les Ferdinand at Loftus Road , May 2015
Tony Fernandes' seat at Loftus Road