P hilip Anschutz is a reclusive American billionaire who has built a vast and diversified business empire over a career spanning more than six decades. His interests range from oil and railroads to sports, entertainment, and real estate. Anschutz began his career by taking over his father's oil drilling business. He made his first fortune in the oil fields of Wyoming, where he bought and sold oil leases. In 1982, he sold a large portion of his oil interests to Mobil for half a billion dollars. He then pivoted to railroads, acquiring the Rio Grande Railroad in 1984 and later Southern Pacific Railroad, which he merged and sold to Union Pacific in a multi-billion dollar deal in 1996.

Anschutz is perhaps best known to the public for his ownership of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), one of the world's largest owners of sports teams and sports and music venues. AEG owns and operates arenas like the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and The O2 in London, and owns sports franchises including the LA Kings hockey team and a stake in the Los Angeles Lakers. He is also a major force in the movie industry as the owner of Regal Cinemas and a production company that has financed films like 'The Chronicles of Narnia.' Known for his conservative Christian values and private nature, Anschutz has shaped entertainment, sports, and real estate landscapes across the globe.