2009 Annual Alumni Dinner
The Annual Alumni Dinner is Melbourne Business School’s (MBS) flagship event for its global community. It is a highlight of the School’s social calendar and regularly attracts over 600 leaders of business, government and community sectors who travel from across Australia, and beyond. For decades the dinner has brought together alumni, friends and guests of the School.
In 2009, MBS welcomed keynote speaker Sir Rod Eddington, Chairman (Aust & NZ) of J.P. Morgan, Non-Executive Director, News Corporation and former Chief Executive Officer of British Airways to address the theme ’Australia - the lucky country?’
Educated as an engineer at the University of Western Australia and then Oxford University as WA’s 1974 Rhodes Scholar, he has demonstrated his acumen and expertise on the national, regional, and international stages. Sir Rod’s career began in transport and aviation in 1979 when he joined the Swire Group and Cathay Pacific and went on to be CEO of Cathay Pacific, Ansett and British Airways, before retiring in late 2005 to return to Australia.
In 2005, Sir Rod was awarded a Knighthood by the British Government for services to civil aviation. In December 2006, he completed a study for the British Government on the links between transport and the economy, before conducting in 2008 a similar investigation and report for the Victorian Government, the "East-West Link Needs Assessment" transport study.
Today, numerous companies benefit from his time and talents. In addition to maintaining non-executive directorships with News Corporation, Rio Tinto plc, CLP (China Light & Power) Holdings and John Swire & Sons Pty Ltd, Sir Rod also serves as Chairman of Infrastructure Australia and Chairman of Victorian Major Events Company.
It was particularly apt that Sir Rod was our keynote speaker as the dinner will also acknowledged and celebrate 20 years of the Rupert Murdoch Fellowships at MBS. Established in 1989 by News Limited to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of The Australian newspaper, the Fellowships support Australians with outstanding business and leadership potential to flourish in an exceptional educational environment. Many Rupert Murdoch Fellows have gone on to become leaders of industry throughout the world.
Acknowledgements
Through the presentation of two awards, alumni recognise and celebrate fellow MBS graduates who have demonstrated excellence in their field and made significant contributions to their community and to the School.
In addition to the Distinguished Alumni Award, 2009 saw the introduction of a new honour - The Outstanding Recent Alumni Award.
- Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honour that MBS can bestow on an alumnus. Each year it is presented to someone who has demonstrated the ultimate in professional achievement, has had a major impact on the enrichment of the community, and has made outstanding contributions to MBS, its students and alumni.
- Outstanding Recent Alumni Award will honour an alumnus who has graduated in the past ten years, and who has demonstrated outstanding professional achievement, service to society and/or service to the School - particularly where it is demonstrated that their MBS education has made a significant contribution to that success. It is intended to recognise the ‘rising stars’ amongst the MBS alumni.
Sponsors
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