Evan Thornley
Evan William Thornley (born 1964), former Australian politician and entrepreneur, was a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the Southern Metropolitan Region. He was a founder (with his then wife, Tracey Ellery) and former Chairman and CEO of internet search company Looksmart Ltd.
Thornley attended Scotch College, Melbourne and is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, completing a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws in 1991, having commenced his university studies in 1983. From 1991 to 1995 he was a consultant at McKinsey and Company, a management consultancy firm.
Thornley is chair of Per Capita and National Secretary of the Australian Fabian Society. He is a board member of the Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Chifley Research Centre, was a founding director of GetUp!, and a founding officer of the National Union of Students.
Elected to the Parliament of Victoria in 2006, he served as Parliamentary Secretary assisting the Premier on the National Reform Agenda and Innovation until his resignation on 31 December 2008. He was the richest member of the Victorian Parliament, with a net worth estimated at $54 million. He is a noted donor to various progressive causes, including the Australian Labor Party. He owns grazing property in western Victoria and four investment properties in Melbourne, Queensland and New South Wales, as well as a residence in Kew.[1]
On 28 December 2008, Thornley announced that he would resign from the Victorian Parliament, despite speculation that he would be chosen to serve as a minister in John Brumby's government.[2] His resignation was received angrily by some Labor colleagues who thought his decision "insulting" and a "disgrace."[3] He had been appointed as the CEO of Australian operations for Better Place, a company promoting electric cars.[4]
A joint sitting of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament was required to select a new member to fill the vacancy caused by Thornley's resignation. It was the first casual vacancy to occur since the reform of the Legislative Council in 2006. Under the new rules, which mirror those of the Australian Senate, if the vacating MLC had been elected as a member of a political party, the joint sitting must select a person nominated by that political party.[5] On 30 January 2009, it was announced that Melbourne lawyer Jennifer Huppert had been nominated by the ALP to fill the upper house vacancy.[6]
Career After Politics
Having served as the Australian head of Better Place since his resignation from parliament, Thornley was elevated to global CEO of the company following the sacking in October 2012 of its founder and major spokesperson Shai Agassi. However Thornley severed his connection with Better Place three months later.[7]
References
- ↑ Whinnett and Binnie, Ellen and Craig (4 June 2007). "ALP whiz-kid our richest MP". Herald Sun.
- ↑ Moncrief, Marc (28 December 2008). "Millionaire Thornley resigns from Parliament". The Age.
- ↑ Moncrieff and Ker, Marc and Peter (30 December 2008). "Labor fury at departing MP". The Age.
- ↑ Moncrief and Austin, Marc and Paul (21 January 2009). "Thornley: Why I shunned cabinet seat". The Age.
- ↑ Information Sheet No.16, Legislative Council (October 2007). "A New Electoral System for Victoria’s Legislative Council". Department of the Legislative Council, Parliament of Victoria.
- ↑ Best, Catherine (30 January 2009). "Huppert to replace Thornley as Vic MP". The Age.
- ↑ Crook, Andrew (2013-01-30). "Better Place hits a dead end as CEO Evan Thornley abandons electric dreams". smartcompany.com.au. Retrieved 2013-05-27.