Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun: Are They Connected?

Last verified: November 15, 2026

Quick Answer

Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun are influential business leaders, but they are associated with different industries and companies. Murdoch is known for building a major international media business, while Lei Jun founded Xiaomi and leads its technology business. Public company biographies reviewed for this article do not establish a direct business partnership, family relationship, or shared corporate leadership role between them.

TL;DR

• Rupert Murdoch is an Australian born media businessman associated with Fox Corporation and News Corp.
• Lei Jun is a Chinese technology entrepreneur and the founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi.
• Their main business interests are different: Murdoch’s career centers on media, while Lei Jun’s focuses on technology and consumer electronics.
• Murdoch serves as chairman emeritus of Fox Corporation and News Corp.
• Lei Jun founded Xiaomi in 2010 with other partners.
• Available official company biographies do not establish a direct partnership between the two men.

Are Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun Connected?

There is no publicly documented direct business partnership between Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun in the official company biographies reviewed for this article. Their professional backgrounds, major business interests, and corporate positions are different.

Rupert Murdoch built his reputation through newspaper publishing, broadcasting, and international media businesses. Lei Jun developed his career in the technology industry, including software, online retail, and consumer electronics.

Their names may appear together in discussions about influential entrepreneurs, business leadership, and wealthy business figures. However, being successful in the same broad world of business does not establish a personal or professional relationship.

What the available company records establish

• Fox Corporation identifies Rupert Murdoch as its chairman emeritus.
• News Corp also identifies Murdoch as chairman emeritus.
• Xiaomi identifies Lei Jun as its founder, chairman, and CEO.
• The official company profiles reviewed do not identify Murdoch and Lei Jun as business partners or members of the same corporate board.

This is a distinction between what public records establish and what they do not establish. It would be inaccurate to claim that the two men have a confirmed partnership without reliable evidence.

Who Is Rupert Murdoch?

Rupert Murdoch is an Australian born media businessman known for developing a large international media portfolio. His career spans newspaper publishing, television, broadcasting, and other media businesses.

Born on March 11, 1931, Murdoch inherited a newspaper business from his father and expanded it through acquisitions and new media ventures. His business career helped shape major media organizations in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

His professional history includes leadership roles at News Corporation, 21st Century Fox, and Fox Corporation. He is also associated with major media brands, including The Wall Street Journal and FOX News Media.

For a current corporate biography, see the official Rupert Murdoch profile at Fox Corporation.

What Does Rupert Murdoch Own?

Rupert Murdoch’s business history is closely associated with Fox Corporation and News Corp. However, it is important to distinguish between companies he helped build, companies he has led, and assets he personally owns.

Both Fox Corporation and News Corp are publicly traded companies. Their businesses have shareholders, boards, and corporate management structures. Murdoch’s position as chairman emeritus does not mean he personally owns every company, publication, or television network associated with them.

Some important media businesses and brands associated with these corporate groups include:

• FOX News Media: A major news and media business within Fox Corporation.
• FOX Sports: A sports media business within Fox Corporation.
• The Wall Street Journal: A major financial newspaper published by Dow Jones, part of News Corp.
• News Corp publishing businesses: A portfolio of news, information, and publishing operations.

Fox Corporation’s official profile describes its brands and explains Murdoch’s historical role in building the company. Its corporate structure should not be confused with personal ownership of every asset.

Does Rupert Murdoch Own Fox News?

FOX News Media operates within Fox Corporation. Rupert Murdoch was instrumental in the development of the wider Fox media business, but he stepped down as Fox Corporation chairman in November 2023 and became chairman emeritus.

As of November 15, 2026, Fox Corporation identifies Lachlan Murdoch as its executive chair and CEO. Therefore, describing Rupert Murdoch as the current chairman or sole personal owner of Fox News would be inaccurate.

Sources: Rupert Murdoch’s official Fox Corporation biography and Lachlan Murdoch’s official executive profile.

Is Rupert Murdoch Still Alive?

Rupert Murdoch is listed in Fox Corporation’s current corporate biography as chairman emeritus of Fox Corporation and News Corp. His official profile remains available as of November 15, 2026.

For current status, readers should rely on recent reputable reporting and official company information rather than outdated biography pages.

How Old Is Rupert Murdoch?

Rupert Murdoch was born on March 11, 1931. He is 95 years old as of November 15, 2026, because his birthday has already passed in 2026.

Who Is Lei Jun?

Lei Jun is a Chinese technology entrepreneur best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi Corporation. His career includes work in software, online retail, technology investment, and consumer electronics.

According to Xiaomi’s official management profile, Lei Jun was born in December 1969 and earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Wuhan University in July 1991. He joined Kingsoft in 1992 and later held several senior positions within the company.

In 2000, Lei Jun founded Joyo.com, an online retail platform that Amazon acquired in 2004. He later became a central figure in the development of Xiaomi, which was founded in April 2010.

Read more in Xiaomi’s official management profile.

Lei Jun’s Role in Xiaomi

Xiaomi was founded on April 6, 2010. The company developed around consumer technology, including smartphones and connected smart devices, and later expanded into other product categories, including electric vehicles.

Lei Jun is listed by Xiaomi as its founder, executive director, chairman, and CEO. His role includes leadership of the company’s broader strategy and business direction.

Xiaomi describes itself as a consumer focused electronics and smart manufacturing company. Its business includes smartphones, smart hardware, and an Internet of Things ecosystem.

For company background, visit Xiaomi’s official About Us page.

How Old Is Lei Jun?

Xiaomi’s official management profile states that Lei Jun was born in December 1969. Xiaomi’s 2025 annual report also lists him as 56 years old.

He is 56 years old as of November 15, 2026. His December birthday has not yet occurred in 2026.

Rupert Murdoch vs Lei Jun: Key Differences

Although Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun are both influential business figures, their careers demonstrate two different approaches to building and leading major companies.

Their Different Business Models

Murdoch’s business influence grew through media ownership, publishing, broadcasting, and acquisitions. His career is an example of how media businesses can expand across countries and distribution platforms.

Lei Jun’s business career developed through software, online retail, investment, and consumer technology. Xiaomi’s products and connected device ecosystem represent a different business model built around technology development and consumer products.

The most useful comparison is not simply that both are successful entrepreneurs. It is that they built influence through different industries, business structures, and products.

What Makes Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun Similar?

Despite their different industries, Murdoch and Lei Jun share some broad professional characteristics.

• Entrepreneurial leadership: Both played major roles in building influential businesses.
• Long business careers: Each developed a professional history across multiple stages of business growth.
• International influence: Their companies and business activities have reached markets beyond their home countries.
• Corporate leadership: Both have held important leadership positions in major companies.

These similarities describe their professional achievements. They do not establish a direct personal relationship, partnership, or shared business venture.

What Is Verified and What Should Not Be Assumed?

When two business leaders are discussed together, it is useful to separate documented facts from assumptions. This prevents a comparison from turning into an unsupported story about a relationship.

This distinction matters because the absence of a partnership in the reviewed records should not be presented as proof that the two people have never met or communicated. It simply means a direct business connection has not been established by the sources used here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun business partners?

No direct business partnership between Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun is established in the official company biographies reviewed for this article. They are associated with different companies and industries.

2. Who is more closely associated with the media industry?

Rupert Murdoch is more closely associated with the media industry. His business career includes newspaper publishing, broadcasting, and major media organizations.

3. Who founded Xiaomi?

Lei Jun founded Xiaomi with other partners in 2010. The company officially identifies him as its founder, chairman, and CEO.

4. Is Rupert Murdoch the current chairman of Fox Corporation?

No. Murdoch became chairman emeritus in November 2023. Fox Corporation identifies Lachlan Murdoch as its executive chair and CEO.

5. Does Rupert Murdoch own News Corp?

News Corp is a publicly traded company, so it should not be described as wholly owned by Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch is identified by the company as chairman emeritus.

6. What is Lei Jun best known for?

Lei Jun is best known as the founder and leader of Xiaomi, a technology company known for smartphones, connected devices, and other consumer products.

7. Are Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun from the same country?

No. Rupert Murdoch was born in Australia, while Lei Jun is a Chinese technology entrepreneur.

8. Are their business interests similar?

They share broad experience in business leadership and entrepreneurship, but their main industries are different. Murdoch is associated with media, while Lei Jun is associated with technology and consumer electronics.

Key Takeaways

• Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun are influential business leaders from different industries.
• Murdoch is known for his long career in international media and his association with Fox Corporation and News Corp.
• Lei Jun is known for founding Xiaomi and leading its technology business.
• Murdoch is chairman emeritus, not the current executive chair of Fox Corporation.
• Lei Jun is Xiaomi’s founder, chairman, and CEO.
• Available official company records do not establish a direct business partnership between the two men.

The clearest answer is that Rupert Murdoch and Lei Jun are separate business leaders whose influence comes from different industries. Their professional achievements can be compared, but a direct relationship should not be claimed without reliable evidence.