Franco Belgiorno-Nettis
Encyclopedia
Franco Belgiorno-Nettis, AC (20 June 1915 – 8 July 2006) was an Australia
n industrialist and patron of the arts. He founded the construction and engineering company Transfield and also helped establish the Biennale of Sydney
.
Belgiorno-Nettis was born in Cassano delle Murge, Italy
in 1915 and attended the Turin Military Academy before joining the Italian army and serving in North Africa
during World War II
. He spent 3 years at an allied POW camp
in India
. After the war he returned to Italy to complete his studies in engineering at the University of Turin
. In 1951 he came to Australia as the employee of Italian engineering firm Electric Power Transmission, (an off-shoot of Milan-based Societa' Anonima Elettrificazione), which was constructing powerlines.
In 1956 Belgiorno-Nettis and a colleague, Carlo Salteri
, set up Transfield which became the largest construction and engineering firm in the Southern Hemisphere
. One of Transfield's recent projects was the Sydney Harbour Tunnel
.
Belgiorno-Nettis was also prominent as a patron of the arts. In 1959 he set up the Transfield Art Prize, the largest art prize in Australia. He also helped to found the Biennale of Sydney
in 1973. His portrait was among the finalists for the 2004 Archibald Prize
.
Belgiorno-Nettis died aged 91 after a terminal brain stroke, while attending to home maintenance in Italy in 2006.
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 industrialist and patron of the arts. He founded the construction and engineering company Transfield and also helped establish the Biennale of Sydney
Biennale of Sydney
The Biennale of Sydney is an international festival of contemporary art, held every two years in Sydney, Australia. It is the largest and best-attended contemporary visual arts event in the country...
.
Belgiorno-Nettis was born in Cassano delle Murge, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1915 and attended the Turin Military Academy before joining the Italian army and serving in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He spent 3 years at an allied POW camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. After the war he returned to Italy to complete his studies in engineering at the University of Turin
University of Turin
The University of Turin is a university in the city of Turin in the Piedmont region of north-western Italy...
. In 1951 he came to Australia as the employee of Italian engineering firm Electric Power Transmission, (an off-shoot of Milan-based Societa' Anonima Elettrificazione), which was constructing powerlines.
In 1956 Belgiorno-Nettis and a colleague, Carlo Salteri
Carlo Salteri
Carlo Salteri AC was a prominent Australian businessman, mechanical engineer, founder of Tenix and co-founder of Transfield.- Background and early years :...
, set up Transfield which became the largest construction and engineering firm in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. One of Transfield's recent projects was the Sydney Harbour Tunnel
Sydney Harbour Tunnel
The Sydney Harbour Tunnel is a twin-tube road tunnel in Sydney, Australia. The tunnel was completed and opened to traffic in August 1992 to provide a second vehicular crossing of Sydney Harbour to alleviate congestion on the Sydney Harbour Bridge....
.
Belgiorno-Nettis was also prominent as a patron of the arts. In 1959 he set up the Transfield Art Prize, the largest art prize in Australia. He also helped to found the Biennale of Sydney
Biennale of Sydney
The Biennale of Sydney is an international festival of contemporary art, held every two years in Sydney, Australia. It is the largest and best-attended contemporary visual arts event in the country...
in 1973. His portrait was among the finalists for the 2004 Archibald Prize
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
.
Belgiorno-Nettis died aged 91 after a terminal brain stroke, while attending to home maintenance in Italy in 2006.