They don't come much more self-made than Kerry Stokes.

The Western Australian media titan, adopted from an orphanage before dropping out of school aged 14, announced retirement plans on Tuesday, aged 85, now with billions of wealth behind him.

Mr Stokes will step aside as chairman of Seven West Media in February, should a merger with Southern Cross Media transpire.

If it is the end of Mr Stokes' heavyweight career in media, then the creation of a new powerhouse national entity would be a fitting way to go out.

And in typical fashion from the notoriously private Perthonality, the retirement plan was not made with a flourish but instead buried in page three of a release to the ASX.

"Following my retirement from the Board in February 2026 I intend to continue to support the Chair and Boa

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