Roland Bleyer
Roland Frank Bleyer was an Australian businessman, best known for his chain of hair regrowth and cosmetic surgery clinics throughout Australia and New Zealand, and his frequent legal issues.
Born in Vienna to an Austrian mother and an American father, Bleyer emigrated to Australia when he was 10 years old. He moved to New Zealand and opened his first office in 1970, then expanded the franchise across Australia.
He was involved in business dealings globally, including through several companies which gained prominence.
Career
Hair, cosmetic and cell therapy
Bleyer began his work in the field of trichology in the late 1960s, later branching out to other cosmetic procedures. After launching his business in New Zealand, he opened a clinic in Sydney in 1980. By 1990, he had established The Bleyer Clinic offices in Sydney, Parramatta, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.In the 1980s, Bleyer clinics began offering cosmetic acupuncture, laser treatments and chemical facial rejuvenation. Bleyer also explored cell therapy and research into genetic engineering. He planned to establish a trial clinic for cell therapy as "a platform from which he would develop a much wider business interest" but this was put on hold following publicity he received on the Willesee program and during subsequent defamation cases against TCN-9.
Bleyer had visited Niehan's Clinique La Prairie on a "fact-finding mission" about treatments using animal fetal cell injections. He later claimed his daughter with Down syndrome "had received cell therapy treatment about every six months for four years and there had been no harmful effects" but medical authorities warned against the treatment, stating it was "of no benefit, possibly dangerous".
Restaurant franchises
Bleyer tried to emulate the success of the Irish Abrakebabra restaurant chain by offering the franchise in Australia. He opened a pilot store in Manly and in November 1989, advertised the "opportunity to purchase the Australian rights and sell franchises to potential investors."Bleyer's kebab shop fell victim to arson while he was travelling interstate. The store manager reported that "three men entered the restaurant shortly after midnight... and the intruders set alight the front of the building."
Business and finance
Bleyer's business interests later in life were in the financial industry, securing funds and loans from private firms. He served as Chairman of the Finance Committee of Hayman Private Equity, and was involved with associated companies including Superkite and Alliance Super Holdings.Through his various companies and extensive network, Bleyer offered to arrange finance for several multi-billion-dollar deals, including:
- to help fund the Ninth Malaysia Plan
- for a joint venture between Superkite and Ross Glickman to purchase real estate following the Global Financial Crisis
- to help resolve the Greek government-debt crisis
- to fund Padbury Mining's port and rail project at Oakajee, Western Australia
- Other deals as part of his role on the finance committee for Royal Bank
Legal issues
During the 1990s, Bleyer was charged with fraud and drug charges in the United States, though the charges were dismissed. In 1995 an Australian federal court judge found that there was "compelling" evidence that Bleyer had defrauded ANZ bank as part of a credit card scam.
In 2014, he was investigated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission over accusations of irregular trading around the Padbury Mining company deal he was involved with.
In 2014, Bleyer's defamation lawsuit against Google was permanently stayed by the Supreme Court of New South Wales, which ruled that Google was not a publisher of automated search results before receiving complaints, and that the case's estimated legal costs were disproportionate to the minimal harm from publication to only three people. The case became a landmark precedent establishing Australia's first application of the proportionality principle in defamation law.
Personal life
Bleyer lived in Collaroy with his wife and three children.In 1990, he left Australia on a business trip and did not return until 1998. During this time, Bleyer's family were unable to pay their bills and were eventually evicted from their home.
Bleyer was a Lions Club member and is known to have made charitable donations to leprosy care in Africa, the Queensland flood appeal, and the Sport and Tourism Youth Foundation.
Roland Bleyer died on 19 April 2018 and was buried at the Hütteldorf Cemetery in Vienna.