Sir Colin York Syme (22 April 190319 January 1986) was an Australian lawyer, businessman, technological innovator, and medical research administrator. He was noted as Chairman of BHP for nineteen years (1952–1971), and President of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research for seventeen years (1961–1978).

Career

Colin Syme studied in

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

and

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

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 & Steel, Rylands Bros and the

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) was an Australian aircraft manufacturer. The CAC was established in 1936, to provide Australia with the capability to produce military aircraft and engines. History In 1935 the Chief General Manage ...

. He was also a director of a number of other companies, including

Imperial Chemical Industries Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) was a British Chemical industry, chemical company. It was, for much of its history, the largest manufacturer in Britain. Its headquarters were at Millbank in London. ICI was listed on the London Stock Exchange ...

of Australia and New Zealand, Elder Smith Goldsbrough Mort, the Private Investment Company for Asia, Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company,

National Australia Bank National Australia Bank Limited (abbreviated NAB, branded and stylised as nab) is one of the four largest Banking in Australia, financial institutions in Australia (colloquially referred to as "Big Four (banking), The Big Four") in terms of mar ...

and the International Iron & Steel Institute. In 1972, the

federal government A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...

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 Lance Townsend co-chaired an inquiry into Victorian 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, Colin Syme was made a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

. On 6 June 1977, he was appointed a Knight of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AK), "for extraordinary and meritorious service to industry, particularly in the fields of research and technology".It's an Honour: AK
/ref> 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 Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

References

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006WEHI Annual Report 1997/1998 Director’s Report
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20070607041839/http://www.mup.unimelb.edu.au/speech/sir_andrew_wehi_speech.htmlbr>Allens Arthur Robinson: Our history
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080222155412/http://www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au/about_us/previous_national_presidents_and_chairman.php The Order of Australia Association: Past National Presidents of the Association]
National Portrait Gallery - Sir Colin Syme
{{DEFAULTSORT:Syme, Colin Australian Knights Bachelor BHP people Knights of the Order of Australia 1903 births 1986 deaths 20th-century Australian lawyers 20th-century Australian businesspeople