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Rod Eddington

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Sir
Rod Eddington
AO FTSE
Born (1950-01-02) 2 January 1950 (age 74)[1]
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
EducationChrist Church Grammar School
Alma materUniversity of Western Australia
University of Oxford
Occupation(s)Director, News Corporation
SpouseYoung Sook Park
Children2

Sir Roderick Ian Eddington AO FTSE (born 2 January 1950) is an Australian businessman.

He was first appointed to the board of News Corporation in 1999 and still serves on the News Corp board, as well as the board of another of Rupert Murdoch's companies, 21st Century Fox, as well as the Herald and Weekly Times in Victoria.

As of December 2020, Eddington is chair of Lion and serves on the board of its Japanese parent company, Kirin. He is also chair of JP Morgan's Asia-Pacific Advisory Council, chair of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, and a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council.

He has served in other senior positions including as CEO of British Airways.

Education and career

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Cricket information
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1975–1976Oxford University
FC debut26 April 1975 Oxford University v Sussex
Last FC23 June 1976 Oxford University v Sussex
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 8
Runs scored 130
Batting average 13.00
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 24
Balls bowled 600
Wickets 8
Bowling average 41.12
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 3/48
Catches/stumpings 4/–
Source: CricketArchive, 16 December 2009

Coming from a country area where there were no high schools, Eddington went to Perth in 1963 to attend Christ Church Grammar School.[2][3][4] He studied engineering at the University of Western Australia and graduated with first class honours in 1972. He continued his studies at UWA and completed the degree of Master of Engineering. In 1974, Eddington was the Rhodes Scholar from Western Australia.[4][5] He completed his DPhil in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford and played eight first-class cricket matches for Oxford University Cricket Club in 1975 and 1976.[1] He was President of Vincent's Club in 1977.[6]

Eddington joined the Swire Group in 1979, working for its subsidiary Cathay Pacific, before being appointed Managing Director in 1992. Continuing his association with the airline industry; News Limited, subsidiary of News Corporation, appointed Eddington Chairman of Ansett Australia in January 1997, four years before the airline failed. News Corp had taken control of the airline with TNT in 1979. Eddington was appointed Deputy Chairman of News Limited in September 1998.[7] He was further promoted to the News Corporation board in September 1999.[8]

British Airways CEO

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Eddington replaced former British Airways CEO Bob Ayling on 2 May 2000. He reversed many of the policies of his predecessor in early 2001, such as the unpopular ethnic-art tailfins. He steered the company in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.[9]

In 2003, he retired the British Airways Concorde, a move viewed as controversial.[10] Eddington stepped down as chief executive officer of British Airways on 30 September 2005, after more than five years in the position. He then returned to Australia to take up a position as the head of the Victorian Major Events Association, succeeding Steve Vizard. Eddington was replaced by Willie Walsh in October 2005 after he had followed a six-month shadow position.[11]

Board memberships

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In February 2006, Eddington served as a non-executive board member of JPMorgan representing Australia and New Zealand.[citation needed]

As of 2018, he still served on the boards of News Corp and 21st Century Fox.[8] In April 2019 he joined the board of News Corp's Herald and Weekly Times in Victoria.[12]

Eddington was appointed to the board of Lion in March 2011, and appointed chair in March 2012. He joined the parent company's board (Kirin) in March 2020, and holds these positions as of December 2020.[13]

As of December 2020 Eddington was:

Government reports

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Transport Study in Britain

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Main article: Eddington Transport Study

On 1 December 2006, Eddington published a UK government-sponsored report into the future of Britain's transport infrastructure. Known as the Eddington Transport Study, it spelled out a plan to improve road and rail networks, as a "crucial enabler of sustained productivity and competitiveness". In its conclusions, the report highlighted Britain's transport networks that provide the right connections, in the right places, to support the journeys that matter to economic performance. But roads in particular were in serious danger of becoming so congested, the economy would suffer.[citation needed]

At the launch of the report Eddington told journalists and transport industry representatives introducing road pricing to encourage drivers to drive less was an "economic no-brainer". There was, he said "no attractive alternative". It would cut congestion by half by 2025, and bring benefits to the British economy totalling £28b.[14]

The report also called for a programme of improvements to existing road and rail networks, the expansion of key airports, and adoption of the general principle that travellers should pay for the external costs of the pollution and congestion their journeys cause.[citation needed]

Transport Study in Victoria, Australia

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Main article: Eddington Transport Report, Victoria

Eddington has since delivered a report to the Victorian Government of Australia, the East West Link Needs Assessment report, which was met with mixed reactions. Economic commentators criticised the cost-benefit ratios of Eddington's proposals, which on Eddington's own analysis were marginal at best.[15]

Honours

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Eddington is a Council member of the Royal Institution of Australia.[16]

Eddington received a British knighthood in 2005 for services to the aviation industry.[17]

In 2012 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) "for distinguished service to business and commerce through roles with a range of national and international economic, trade, infrastructure development and transport organisations",[18] and was also elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

In 2015 he was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese Government for his "contribution to strengthening the economic relations between Australia and Japan".[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b Rod Eddington, CricInfo. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  2. ^ Newman, Peter (6 December 2011). "Sir Rod Eddington: 'The infrastructure challenges are real'". theconversation.com. The Conversation Media Group. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. ^ Edwards, Peter; Hillman, Wendy (2010). A School With A View: a centenary history of Christ Church Grammar School, Perth 1910-2010. Claremont: Christ Church Grammar School. Appendix 23: Student Register, pp 379–450. ISBN 9780646543734.
  4. ^ a b "Western Australian Rhodes Scholars". University of Western Australia. Archived from the original (doc) on 7 April 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  5. ^ University of Western Australia, Office of Development. "Interesting Alumni". Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  6. ^ "Vincent's Club Presidents". Vincent's Club. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  7. ^ Schulze, Jane (2 September 1998). "News Ltd rejigs top jobs". The Age. Retrieved 26 June 2024 – via Newsbank.
  8. ^ a b Bartholomeusz, Stephen (17 October 2018). "Highly influential, low profile: Why Eddington prefers movers like the Murdochs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  9. ^ "BA to axe 7,000 jobs". The Guardian. 20 September 2001. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  10. ^ "THE BETRAYAL OF CONCORDE". www.concorde-spirit-tours.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  11. ^ Clarke, Michael (13 April 2012). "Walsh to replace Eddington at BA". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Sir Rod Eddington AO Joins Herald & Weekly Time Board". B&T. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Our Leadership - About Us". Lion. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  14. ^ Rod Eddington (December 2006). "Speech by Rod Eddington to the Commonwealth Club in London on 1 December 2006". Department for Transport. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
  15. ^ Maiden, Malcolm (4 April 2008). "Eddington report raises questions". The Age. Melbourne.
  16. ^ "Royal Institution of Australia > Organisation". Royal Institution of Australia. Archived from the original on 16 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Affable airline boss becomes knight of the roads". The Guardian. 8 December 2006. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  18. ^ EDDINGTON, Roderick Ian - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), 26 January 2012, It's an Honour
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Business positions
Preceded by CEO of British Airways
2000–2005 		Succeeded by
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