He is Canada’s richest man and one of the richest men in the world. This billionaire is known for his huge media empire. Thomson holds 68.5% of Thomson Corp.

 Thomson was started as a newspaper, by Roy Herbert Thomson, The Timmins Press, in Canada. The business grew gradually with the media age and started several prominent newspapers in UK and Canada. Thomson Publication (UK), a consumer magazine and book publishing house was set up in 1960. The company further expanded into travel and airways industry in the late seventies. Thomson also diversified into Oil exploration.

 Kenneth Thomson took over the company from his father Roy in 1976. He has taken the company to dizzying heights since then. With the advent of information technology the company started E Learning and testing services. Prometric, a global network of testing centers was sold by Thomson to ETS for $435 million in 2007.

 In May 2007 The Thomson Corporation and Reuters combined to form the largest media company in the world, Thomson Reuters. This company is valued at $17.2 billion.

 Besides fantastic assets in Stocks and real estates, Kenneth Thomson is known to possess a huge Art Collection. He owns 3000 pieces. In 2002 he is known to have bought Peter Paul Rubens’ “Massacre of the Innocents” for $77 million. This is the fourth highest price paid for a painting ever.