Shahen Mekertichian
| Shahen Mekertichian | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| 🎓 Alma mater | University of Sydney |
| 💼 Occupation | Investment banker · Film producer · Racehorse owner |
| 👔 Employer | Sunstar Entertainment (co-founder) |
| Known for | Executive producer of Lion (2016) |
Shahen Mekertichian is an Australian investment banker, film producer, and racehorse owner. He is best known for serving as an executive producer on the Academy Award–nominated film Lion (2016) and for co-founding Sunstar Entertainment, a production and talent management company based in Sydney, Australia.[1]
Early life and education
Mekertichian graduated with a Bachelor and Master of Economics from the University of Sydney. He is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Adviser, and a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia.[2]
Career
Finance and business
Mekertichian has more than 35 years of experience in investment banking, corporate finance, and advisory work, having served on the boards of various companies in Australia and abroad.[3] He has been profiled in business media, including Bloomberg, for his corporate and financial roles.[4]
Film production
In 2011, Mekertichian co-founded Sunstar Entertainment with Andrew Fraser.[5][circular reference] The company manages sports and media talent and develops film and television projects.
Mekertichian served as an executive producer on Lion (2016), which was based on the memoir A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won multiple BAFTA and AACTA awards.[6]
He also produced the thriller No Beast So Fierce (2016) and the Netflix biopic True Spirit (2023), which tells the story of Australian sailor Jessica Watson’s solo circumnavigation of the globe.[7]
Racehorse ownership
Mekertichian is a co-owner of the renowned Australian thoroughbred Sebring, a chestnut colt foaled in 2005. Trained by champion racehorse trainer Gai Waterhouse, Sebring won five of his six starts as a two-year-old, including the 2008 Golden Slipper Stakes—the world’s richest race for juveniles—followed by a win in the AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes and a narrow second place in the Champagne Stakes.[8][circular reference][9]
Sebring’s extraordinary performance and substantial earnings—totaling over A$2.4 million—dramatically increased his stud value.[10] The ownership syndicate later retired Sebring to stud at Widden Stud, where he became a leading sire until his death in 2019.[11]
Personal life
Mekertichian has been featured in Australian media for high-profile property transactions, including the sale of his Manly home for around A$18 million in 2022.[12]
His son, Mikael, died in 2020.[13]
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Lion | Executive producer |
| 2016 | No Beast So Fierce | Executive producer |
| 2023 | True Spirit | Executive producer |
References
- ↑ "About Us". Sunstar Entertainment. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "About Us". Sunstar Entertainment. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "About Us". Sunstar Entertainment. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Shahen Mekertichian". Bloomberg. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Sunstar Entertainment". Wikipedia. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Shahen Mekertichian – IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "True Spirit – Netflix". Netflix. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Sebring (horse)". Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Horse Profile: Sebring – Racing and Sports". Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Sebring the Slipper champion". ABC News. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Industry mourns champion Sebring". Racing.com. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ Johnston, Chris (18 August 2022). "Lion executive producer Shahen Mekertichian sells Manly home prior to auction for circa $18m". RealEstate.com.au. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ "Mikael Mekertichian Obituary". Sydney Morning Herald Tributes. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
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