Colin Syme
Encyclopedia
Sir Colin York Syme AK (19031986) was an Australia
n lawyer, businessman, technological innovator, and medical research administrator. He was noted as Chairman of BHP
for nineteen years (1952-71), and President of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
for seventeen years (1961-78).
Colin Syme studied in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney before joining the Melbourne legal firm of Hedderwick, Fookes and Alston in 1923. An articled clerk, Syme had ambitions to become a barrister, but after the premature death of Bruce Hedderwick in 1925, he accepted an offer to stay at the firm and was made a partner in 1928, remaining so until 1966.
Meanwhile, in 1937, he became a director of BHP and many of its subsidiaries, including Tubemakers of Australia, Australian Iron and Steel, Rylands Bros and the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. He was also a director of several other companies, including Imperial Chemical Industries
of Australia and New Zealand, Elder Smith Goldsborough Mort, the Private Investment Company for Asia and the International Iron and Steel Institute
.
In 1972, the Federal Government set up a committee under the Chairmanship of Sir Colin Syme to advise it on science and technology. It was known as the Syme Committee.
In 1973 he and Dr Sir Lance Townsend co-chaired an inquiry into Victoria
n health services, which produced findings widely known as the Syme-Townsend report, a major outcome of which was the creation of the Health Commission of Victoria.
Late in his career, he was President of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. When he retired from the latter position in 1978, the Board established the Colin Syme Fellowship Fund, to nurture the career development of a talented young investigator within the Institute.
. On 6 June 1977, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia
(AK), "for extraordinary and meritorious service to industry, particularly in the fields of research and technology".
He was the inaugural President of the Order of Australia Association, from January 1980 to January 1983.
He was an Honorary Doctor of Laws.
His portrait, painted by Judy Cassab
, hangs in the National Portrait Gallery
, Canberra
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n lawyer, businessman, technological innovator, and medical research administrator. He was noted as Chairman of BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
for nineteen years (1952-71), and President of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research is Australia's oldest medical research institute.In 2011, the institute is home to more than 650 researchers who are working to understand, prevent and treat diseases including blood, breast and ovarian cancers; inflammatory diseases such as...
for seventeen years (1961-78).
Colin Syme studied in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney before joining the Melbourne legal firm of Hedderwick, Fookes and Alston in 1923. An articled clerk, Syme had ambitions to become a barrister, but after the premature death of Bruce Hedderwick in 1925, he accepted an offer to stay at the firm and was made a partner in 1928, remaining so until 1966.
Meanwhile, in 1937, he became a director of BHP and many of its subsidiaries, including Tubemakers of Australia, Australian Iron and Steel, Rylands Bros and the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. He was also a director of several other companies, including Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
of Australia and New Zealand, Elder Smith Goldsborough Mort, the Private Investment Company for Asia and the International Iron and Steel Institute
International Iron and Steel Institute
World Steel Association, often abbreviated as worldsteel, is the international trade body for the iron and steel industry. The association represents approximately 180 steel producers , national and regional steel industry associations and steel research institutes...
.
In 1972, the Federal Government set up a committee under the Chairmanship of Sir Colin Syme to advise it on science and technology. It was known as the Syme Committee.
In 1973 he and Dr Sir Lance Townsend co-chaired an inquiry into Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
n health services, which produced findings widely known as the Syme-Townsend report, a major outcome of which was the creation of the Health Commission of Victoria.
Late in his career, he was President of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. When he retired from the latter position in 1978, the Board established the Colin Syme Fellowship Fund, to nurture the career development of a talented young investigator within the Institute.
Honours
On 8 June 1963, he was made a Knight BachelorKnight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
. On 6 June 1977, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AK), "for extraordinary and meritorious service to industry, particularly in the fields of research and technology".
He was the inaugural President of the Order of Australia Association, from January 1980 to January 1983.
He was an Honorary Doctor of Laws.
His portrait, painted by Judy Cassab
Judy Cassab
Judy Cassab CBE AO is an Australian painter. She has twice won the Archibald Prize.Judy Cassab was born Judit Kaszab in Vienna, Austria in 1920 to Hungarian parents...
, hangs in the National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery (Australia)
The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.