Simon McKeon

Simon Vincent McKeon AO (born 1955) is an Australian businessman, philanthropist and sportsman. On 25 January 2011 he was named Australian of the Year for 2011 by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.^[1][2]

Business

After completing a Bachelor of Commerce in 1976 and Bachelor of Law in 1978, both at the University of Melbourne,^[3] Simon McKeon practiced law in Sydney with Blake Dawson Waldron before taking up a post with the Macquarie Bank,^[4] where he became the Executive Chairman from 1994.^[5] He was President of the statutory dispute resolution body for Australian public company takeovers, the Australian Takeovers Panel from 1999– 2010. He was also the Chairman of software specialist MYOB LTD 2006-2009.^[6] McKeon was announced chairman of CSIRO in June 2010, replacing Dr John Stocker.^[6] During 2012, McKeon chaired the Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research, an independent review of health and medical research in Australia which recommended a 10-year strategic health and medical plan for the nation. McKeon was appointed to the AMP Limited Board on March 27, 2013. McKeon is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. McKeon is the inaugural President of the Australian banking industry's Review Panel for the Banking and Financing oath.

Philanthropy

McKeon is Chairman of Business for Millennium Development which encourages business to engage with the developing world. He also serves on the Federal Government's AusAID Business Engagement Steering Committee. He is Chairman of the Global Poverty Project Australia. McKeon is a director of Red Dust Role Models, which works with remote indigenous communities. He is on the advisory board of the Melbourne magazine “The Big Issue” which seeks to create awareness about the issues relating to Homelessness. He is also a member of; the Australian Federal Government's Human Rights Grants Scheme Advisory Panel, the National Disability Insurance Scheme Implementation Taskforce and the Federal Government's Charities and Non-for-Profit Taskforce. McKeon serves as a patron of MS Research Australia and as an Ambassador for National Disability Services ( Victoria.) McKeon is an Australia Day Ambassador for the Victorian Government. He serves on the University of Melbourne's Campaign Board.

McKeon was a director of World Vision Australia from 1994 - 2005. He also served on the board of World Vision’s Vision Fund from 2004 - 2012 which has the responsibility for World Vision International's micro economic development activities.

McKeon was Founding Chair of MS Research Australia from 2004 - 2010 and has also previously served on the Boards of MS Australia and MS Victoria.

He also volunteered as a counsellor for heroin addicts at the First Step Clinic in St Kilda.^[7]

He has been a part-time lecturer with Melbourne University's Masters of Applied Finance and Masters of Laws courses and has been a member of the Advisory Board of the University's Centre for Energy and Resources Law.

He was also Chairman of the Board of the Association of Independent Schools Victoria from 2005 - 2008. He has previously served on the Victorian Rhodes Scholarship Committee, the Council of St Leonard's College, Victoria and also on the board of Beaconhills College, Victoria.

McKeon served as Chairman of the Federal Government's Point Nepean Community Trust from 2004 - 2009. He has been the Business Ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour initiative and an Ambassador for Parks Victoria's Healthy Parks Healthy People International Congress 2010.

Climate change

On climate change, McKeon has expressed his desire to see the topic raised to the top of both the "political and public agenda".^[8] He said "We may not have all the answers to what is occurring, ... [b]ut the point is, why wouldn't one take out very strong insurance to at least do what we can to future-proof our well-being?".^[8]

Sport

For many years Simon McKeon was involved with the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (more commonly known as the "Little Americas Cup"). McKeon served as helmsman for Australia's successful syndicate between 1985 and 1996.^[4] Outside of the Little Americas Cup, McKeon and his sailing partner Tim Daddo held the world sailing speed record of 46.52 knots (86.16 km/h; 53.53 mph) from 1993 until 2004, set in their sailboat Yellow Pages Endeavour. An attempt to reclaim the record in 2005 from Finian Maynard (who surpassed McKeon and Daddo's record in 2004) failed when structural problems caused the destruction of their vessel's main wing.^[9] In 2009 McKeon and Daddo, with McKeon at the helm, sailed Macquarie Innovation at a sustained speed of over 50 knots – the first sailing vessel to do so.

Along with his sailing achievements, McKeon is Patron of the Australian Olympic Sailing Team, and served as Club Captain at the McCrae Yacht Club between 2004 and 2006.^[4]

Honours

On 11 June 2012, McKeon was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to business and commerce through leadership and advisory roles, and to the community as a supporter of national and international charitable, educational and sporting organisations."^[10]

McKeon was named the 2011 ABF Australian Banking Ambassador of the Year.

For his contribution to MS Research Australia, McKeon received the John Studdy Award which is MS Australia's highest honour.

Personal

Simon McKeon's partner is Heather Forbes.

Notes