Sir Colin York SymeAK (22 April 1903 – 19 January 1986)[1] was an Australian 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.
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 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.[2] 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".[3]
colin, syme, colin, york, syme, april, 1903, january, 1986, australian, lawyer, businessman, technological, innovator, medical, research, administrator, noted, chairman, nineteen, years, 1952, president, walter, eliza, hall, institute, medical, research, seven. Sir Colin York Syme AK 22 April 1903 19 January 1986 1 was an Australian 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 Sir Colin SymeAKBorn 1903 04 22 22 April 1903Claremont Western AustraliaDied19 January 1986 1986 01 19 aged 82 Howqua Victoria AustraliaNationalityAustralianOccupation s Lawyer businessmanAwardsKnight BachelorKnight of the Order of AustraliaColin 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 amp Steel Rylands Bros and the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation He was also a director of a number of other companies including Imperial Chemical Industries of Australia and New Zealand Elder Smith Goldsbrough Mort the Private Investment Company for Asia Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company National Australia Bank and the International Iron amp 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 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 EditOn 8 June 1963 Colin Syme was made a Knight Bachelor 2 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 3 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 References Edit People Australia It s an Honour Kt It s an Honour AK The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research ANNUAL REPORT 2005 2006 WEHI Annual Report 1997 1998 Director s Report Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs of Deceased Fellows 1 2 Allens Arthur Robinson Our history History of Medicine Dentistry amp Health Sciences at Melbourne Biographical entry Townsend Sydney Lance Lance 1912 1983 The Order of Australia Association Past National Presidents of the Association 3 National Portrait Gallery Sir Colin Syme Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Colin Syme amp oldid 1091773055, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
