The Hackett Patrons give support and guidance to the University.
- Sir Rod Eddington
- Dr Janet Holmes à Court, AC CitWA
- Clinical Professor Alexander Cohen, AO
- Dr Harold Clough, AO OBE CitWA
- Sir James Cruthers, CitWA
- Mr Richard Goyder
- Mr Tom Hoad, AM
- Mr Ivan Hoffman
- Dr June Jones, AM
- The Hon Peter Jones, AM
- The Hon Justice Geoffrey Kennedy, AO
- His Excellency, Dr Ken Michael, AC, Governor of Western Australia
Sir Rod Eddington
Sir Rod Eddington is one of Australia’s most experienced and accomplished business leaders. Born in 1950 in Perth, Sir Rod graduated from UWA in 1972 with first class Honours in Engineering Science followed by a Master of Engineering Science. As Western Australia’s 1974 Rhodes Scholar, Sir Rod completed his DPhil in the Department of Engineering Science at Oxford University. Sir Rod is the International Chairman of the UWA Hackett Foundation and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University in 2000.
Sir Rod’s career began in transport and aviation in 1979 when he joined the Swire Group.He worked with Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong, Korea and Japan in a variety of roles, before being appointed MD and CEO in 1992. In 1997, he was appointed Executive Chairman of Ansett Airlines, a position he held until 2000, when News Corporation sold its 50 per cent interest in Ansett. In 2006, he returned to Australia after serving for five years as CEO of British Airways, where he successfully led the airline’s turn-around during one of the industry’s most turbulent periods. 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.
Today, many companies benefit from his time and talents. He is non-executive Chairman (Australia and New Zealand) of JPMorgan, in addition to maintaining non-executive roles with News Corporation, Rio Tinto, Allco Finance Group Limited, CLP (China Light and Power) Holdings, and John Swire and Sons Pty Ltd. He also serves as Chairman of Victorian Major Events Company.
Dr Janet Holmes à Court, AC CitWA
Janet Holmes à Court heads one of Australia’s biggest private companies, and is passionate about the arts, conservation, children’s television and world peace. Janet is the Deputy Chair of the Hackett Foundation.
Born Janet Lee Ranford, she lived with her parents and younger brother on an acre of land in the hills near Perth. After winning a scholarship to Perth Modern School in 1956, Janet studied science at UWA where she was the only woman majoring in organic chemistry. After graduating she became a science teacher.
While at university she met Robert Holmes à Court, a law student. They married in 1966 and had four children. Robert died in 1990 and Janet took on the task of restructuring the company.
One of Janet’s great passions is Australian art. The Holmes à Court Collection comprises over four thousand artworks, many of which are lent to galleries around Australia – for all Australians to enjoy. In 1995, Janet’s service to business, arts and the community was recognised with an Order of Australia. Janet was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in 1997.
In the 2007 Australia Day Honours, Janet was awarded Australia’s highest honour – a Companion of the Order of Australia for her outstanding contribution to business, construction, wine and cattle industries, music and theatre, visual arts and the community.
Clinical Professor Alexander Cohen, AO
Alexander Cohen is a Clinical Professor of Medicine and a former Chancellor at UWA. He was Chair of the Finance and Investment and Resources Committees at UWA, Director of Clinical Training at Hollywood Private Hospital and Director of Postgraduate Medical Education at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
Alex holds various positions within the community as Convenor and Chair of the Specialist Medical Review Committee for the Commonwealth of Australia Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Director of the Risk Management Program for the Medical Defence Association of WA, President of the Diabetes Research Foundation of WA and Director of the National Board for Diabetes.
Alex is a past President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and of the Australian Medical Association (WA), Emeritus Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital, a Fellow of the Australian Medical Association and Wolfson College Oxford, and a past Research Fellow of Harvard University Medical School. Alex was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in 2002.
Dr Harold Clough, AO OBE CitWA
Harold Clough is highly distinguished in Australia’s engineering industry. He joined the Clough family company in 1954, serving as Managing Director until 1988 and Chairman of Clough Limited until late 2002.
His outstanding contributions were acknowledged as WA Citizen of the Year in Industry and Commerce in 1983 and he has won the Australasian Institution of Electrical Engineers James N Kirby Award, the Institution of Engineers Australia Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (WA) inaugural gold medal for contributions to engineering, industry and commerce.
In 1997, Harold received the Services to Construction Award from the Australian Contractors’ Association in recognition of his lifelong contribution to the construction industry. In April 2000, he was named one of Australia’s Export Heroes.
Harold was awarded a UWA Honorary Doctorate of Engineering in 1990 and has served on the UWA Senate for 12 years. He is a current member of the External Environment Committee (a Senate Standing committee), a staunch supporter of UWA Rugby and UWA Friends of the Grounds and continues to provide outstanding support to the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics.
Sir James Cruthers, CitWA
Sir James Cruthers, born in Cottesloe, began a long career in the media and entertainment fields as a journalist at the Perth Daily News. In 1958, he became General Manager of Perth’s first television station, TVW Channel 7.
He retired as Chairman and Managing Director in 1981 and became Chairman of the Australian Film Commission. In 1983, Sir James accepted a position as personal advisor to Mr Rupert Murdoch and worked with Mr Murdoch for seven years in New York, London and Los Angeles.
Sir James was knighted in 1980 for services to business, the arts, and the community, and the same year was WA Citizen of the Year for commerce and industry. He is now chairman of the Sunday Times. Sir James was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in 2005.
Mr Richard Goyder
Richard Goyder was born and grew up in country Western Australia. He completed his schooling in Perth, including a Bachelor of Commerce at UWA, and in 1998 he completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University Business School.
Richard is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Wesfarmers Ltd and has over 20 years’ commercial business experience. Richard joined Wesfarmers in 1993 and has held several senior executive positions, including General Manager of Wesfarmers’ Business Development Department, Managing Director of Wesfarmers Landmark Limited and Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer.
A current UWA Senate Development Committee member, Richard is a UWA Business School Board member and a Director of Gresham Partners Holdings Ltd, the Australian Railroad Group Pty Ltd, Wespine Industries Pty Ltd and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
Mr Tom Hoad, AM
Tom Hoad represented Australia in water polo at eight Olympics. He played in four men’s teams (1960,1964,1968,1972), captaining three, and was coach from 1976 to 1988. Tom was the first full-time National Men’s Water Polo coach and National Director of coaching for Australian Water Polo. In 1994, Tom was awarded an AM for his service to sport, particularly water polo.
Tom is presently the Executive Director of Sport International WA and Vice President of the Australian Water Polo Inc. He chaired the Organising Committee for the 8th Fina World Championships (Perth 1998), the Asian Sporting Relations Council (Perth), the 4th Australian Masters Games (Perth 1993) and was on the Organising Committee for the 6th Fina World Championships (Perth 1991). He is a past President of the WA Sports Federation 1984-1994, and the WA Olympic Council.
Mr Hoad has a graduate degree in German from UWA and a post-graduate degree in German literature from Munster University, Germany. Tom was Senior Master of foreign languages at Hale School for 13 years.
Mr Ivan Hoffman
Ivan Hoffman is a Certified Practicing Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Managers, Secretaries and Administrators. He was for over 18 years a “company doctor and corporate troubleshooter” with involvement in a wide range of industries. Ivan spent 4 years with a large UK-based bank involved in international banking in the UK and in Singapore.
He is a Director of two listed public companies and is the owner of the Fortron Group, which comprises a licensed insurance company with staff and business activities in all mainland states and a division in fuel and oil treatment products which are sold throughout Australia, Asia, the Middle East, the UK and in Europe.
Ivan has been an active volunteer at UWA for 21 years, commencing in 1986 with his role as the Honorary Director of the appeal for funds to build the Lawrence Wilson Gallery on the UWA campus. He has supported UWA with many other tasks since that time and is presently involved in a number of activities.
Dr June Jones, AM
June Jones has graduate and postgraduate degrees from UWA. In her undergraduate years she was one of two women members of the Guild Council, President of the Women’s Basketball Club and President of the Camp for Children.
Following work in WA and UK as an educational psychologist and teacher, she held the position of Senior Lecturer Educational Psychology and Special Education at the Western Australian Institute of Technology and then Principal of St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls for eighteen years.
June has served on numerous boards, and policy making and advisory committees, and was president of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of WA. She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society, and a fellow of the Australian College of Education, the Australian Institute of Management, and the Western Australian Institute of Educational Administration (WA).
June was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Education in 2007. She has been a member of the UWA Senate since 1993, is the past Chair of the UWA Centenary Trust for Women and the former Chair of the UWA Senate Development Committee.
The Hon Peter Jones, AM
Peter Jones was born in Tasmania, where he farmed until 1968 when he moved to Western Australia, and continued his farming operations in the Great Southern Region of the State. Between 1974 and 1986, he was a member of the Western Australia Legislative Assembly, and served as a Minister in several portfolios including Education, Resources Development, Mines and Energy.
Peter was the Chairman of ARC Energy Limited, AMMTEC Ltd, and several private companies. He retains several private business interests, is the Chairman of the Callaway Foundation for Music Education at UWA, and has previously served as Chairman of several listed companies associated with mineral and energy exploration and production. He has been associated with several government-owned trading enterprises, including the WA Water Corporation, of which he was the founding Chairman.
Peter was awarded an AM in 2001 for service to the WA parliament, to the development and management of infrastructure services, and to the community through medical research, cultural and animal welfare organisations.
The Hon Justice Geoffrey Kennedy, AO
Justice Kennedy began his studies at UWA in 1950, graduating with First Class Honours from Law and winning a Rhodes Scholarship in 1955. After studying at Oxford, he returned to Western Australia where he joined the law firm Robinson Cox and Company. In 1976, he became a member of Western Australia’s Independent Bar. He was appointed a Queens Council in 1977, became a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 1981, and Senior Judge in 1991.
Justice Kennedy joined the Senate of UWA in 1976. He became Pro-Chancellor in 1981, and was elected as Chancellor in 1990. He was awarded the Order of Australia for service to law, education and to the community in 1994.
Justice Kennedy’s extensive involvement in public life included positions as: a Trustee of the Western Australian Museum for more than twenty one years from 1969 (including seven years as Chairman), Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre Trust since 1988, Chairman of the Scotch College Council (1974 to 1983), Chairman of the National Council of Independent Schools (1979-1981), Chairman of the Legislative Review and Advisory Committee from (1978-1987), and Chairman of the Royal Commission into Commercial Activities of the Western Australian Government (1991-1992).
His Excellency, Dr Ken Michael, AC, Governor of Western Australia
Dr Ken Michael is a distinguished engineer in his own right, but is at least equally well known for his tireless and much valued contributions to many aspects of government, business and community activity within WA.
Born in Perth, Ken is the son of migrants from the Greek island of Kastellorizo. He attended Perth Modern School, completed a Bachelor of Engineering with First Class Honours in Civil Engineering at UWA and was awarded the James A Wood Memorial Prize. His postgraduate studies and research at Imperial College culminated in a PhD degree in engineering from the University of London.
Ken was elected to the UWA Senate in 1998 and was the University’s Chancellor from 2001-2005. He is a past President of the Rotary Club of Perth and the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In 1996, Ken was honoured with membership of the General Division in the Order of Australia for public service and services to engineering, and in 2006 became a Companion of the Order of Australia for wide ranging community service of lasting benefit, particularly in the development and management of road transport systems, engineering, tertiary education, cultural institutions and the Greek community. He was also recognised as Western Australian Citizen of the Year for 2001 in the category of the Professions.
In March 2007, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from UWA. On 18 January 2006, Dr Michael was sworn in as the 30th Governor of Western Australia.
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