Who is Tony Fernandes? Let’s take a look at the just-married Malaysian Multi-millionaire

Is the last quarter of the year the best season for the ultra-rich to get married? After the Popiah King’s son, Ben Goi, married former TV actress Tracy Lee, it’s the founder of AirAsia’s turn!

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, one of the richest Malaysians in the world, just tied the knot with his Korean girlfriend of two years, Chloe, in the French Riviera.

With one leaked photo, the AirAsia and Tune founder was seen in a three-piece suit with his Korean bride next to him all cozy against a stark blue sky. The bride wore a white off-the-shoulder wedding gown.

The couple had requested their guests to refrain from posting about the event, but a photo still managed to make its way on social media.

According to reports, the wedding happened at Cote de Azul and had 150 guests which included luminaries in Malaysian society.

Among the guests were former prime ministers, current minsters and the like.

Hours after the leaked photo, a wedding photo was posted showing the bride had changed her dress while holding hands with Tony.

Who is the groom?

Tony Fernandes is worth $345 million according to Forbes thanks to his stake in low-cost airlines, media and other industries.

Reports say he graduated from the London School of Economics with a degree in Accounting and Finance. Before that, his childhood was spent like a lot of children from elite classes all over the world–in boarding school in England.

From there, he went to work for the high-profile yet very public persona of Richard Branson, who owned Virgin. The two are still very close, and Tony Fernandes charted his path in a similar manner to the self-made billionaire.

Tony bought the struggling state-run airline that was to become AirAsia for only one ringgit or 0.32 SGD.

With mentoring and a branding similar to how Branson did with Virgin, AirAsia has become one of the most popular low-cost carriers in the region. Still, it was the being at the right place and the right time for the boom in low-cost flights that made Tony’s pet brand the real star.

Tony has ventured into football, perhaps taking a cue from the likes of Peter Lim and his peers. He invested in the British QPR Football Club, and has made questionable decisions regarding the salaries of players who did not deliver wins or skill in playing.

A stint in Formula one racing did not end so well, so he ended up losing money on that investment in 2014.

Thanks to his flashy style and branding himself similar to his old boss, Branson, he is a familiar face in the business and celebrity scene.

According to online profiles, he’s been married before and has two children. He’s referred to his wife once in talks with graduating students, as someone who laughed at him when all he had of AirAsia was a dream, back in 2016.

His daughter, Stephanie, graduated from university in 2015. In a social media post on her graduation day, he said that he was moved to tears.

According to his social media posts, his son’s name is Stephen.

Who is the bride?

Surprisingly, information on the bride is still scarce. Most reports peg her to be in her 20’s and an actress. She uses the Western name Chloe, but her Korean name and surname are still unknown.

According to reports, he and Chloe have been dating for two years.

Congratulations and best wishes, Tony and Chloe!

Header image from Tony Fernandes’ Facebook page.