 Ian Norman, Non-Executive Director, co-founder of Harvey Norman died yesterday aged 75, at his home on the Central Coast.
The entrepreneur was one half of Harvey Norman’s retail duo set up in 1982 which he co-founded with Gerry Harvey, Executive Chairman of the company.
He was a major shareholder of Harvey Norman Holdings Limited and served as Non- Executive Director for 27 years.
Norman was an intensely private man who was devoted to his family and was a generous philanthropist, the company said today in a statement.
He “will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of his guidance, support and friendship” and will be remembered as a true gentleman and an Australian business pioneer,” Harvey Norman said in a statement.
Norman and Harvey met when they were both were selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door, and opened their first store in Sydney in 1961, selling electrical goods and appliances.
This led to the establishment of Norman Ross, which expanded nationally with 42 stores, which was later sold.
The duo then purchased a new shopping centre in Auburn, Western Sydney and opened the first Harvey Norman store in October 1982. Harvey Norman Holdings Limited was then listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1987.
Mr Norman’s controlled entities hold 175,249,660 shares or 16.5% of the company’s issued shares.
The executor and trustee named in Mr Norman’s will is Christopher Brown, a director of Harvey Norman.
Brown has advised the estate of Mr Norman and estate controlled entities intend to remain a long term shareholder in the Company.
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