Robert Johnston (businessman)
{{short description|Australian industrialist and businessman (1924–1995)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2024}}
{{infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Robert Johnston
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO}}
| birth_name = Robert Henry 'Bob' Johnston
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1924|05|26}}
| birth_place = Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1995|05|07|1924|05|26}}
| death_place = Houston, Texas, United States of America
| spouse = Raymonde Garner {{marriage || 1958 | 1971 |end=divorced}}
| education = North Newtown Boys' Intermediate High School
Sydney Technical College
| alma_mater =
| occupation = {{hlist|Industrialist|businessman}}
| office = Chairman of the Australian Trade Commission
| term_start = 17 December 1993
| term_end = 7 May 1995
| preceded = Bill Ferris
| succeeded = Roger Allen (acting)
| allegiance = Australia
| branch = Royal Australian Navy
| serviceyears = 1942–1946
| rank = Lieutenant
| unit =
| battles = {{tree list}}
- World War II
- Pacific Campaign {{tree list/end}}
}}
Robert Henry Johnston {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=85%|AO}} (26 May 1924 – 7 May 1995) was an Australian industrialist and businessman who was the President of Toyota Australia from 1986 to 1994 and was the Chairman of the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) between 1993 and 1995.{{cite web| url = https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/johnston-robert-henry-bob-27657 | title = Robert Henry (Bob) Johnston (1924–1995) | first = Chris | last = Cunneen | author-link = | date = 2019 | website = Australian Dictionary of Biography | access-date = 6 June 2024}}
Robert Johnston was born in 1924 in Camperdown in Sydney, New South Wales. He studied at North Newtown Boys' Intermediate High School, where he matriculated in 1938. From there, Johnston began work as a copy-boy at John Fairfax & Sons. However, in June 1942 Johnston was selected for officer training in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. It was by January 1943, in which he became a midshipman on HMAS Assault and later served on HMAS Kanimbla. He was later promoted to Lieutenant in May 1946. Johnston was decommissioned in June that year in which he later studied at the Sydney Technical College and became an associate of the Australian Society of Accountants.
Between 1951 and 1986 Johnston would rise through the ranks of the John Fairfax & Sons to become its chief financial officer and also other motor vehicle manufacturers in Australia, including the precursors to Toyota.
By 1986 the Japanese car manufacturer had concentrated significant control over various manufactures in Australia, leading to Johnston to become the chairman and chief executive officer of Toyota Australia.{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120910733 | title = Australian named to head unified Toyota | first = Paul | last = Gover | author-link = | date = 15 February 1989 | newspaper = Canberra Times | access-date = 6 June 2024}} However, this would be further solidified in 1989, where Johnston also became the President of the new Toyota Australia, after the Melbourne and Sydney branches merged.{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122244958 | title = Industry appointment a first for Toyota | first = | last = | author-link = | date = 4 May 1990 | newspaper = Canberra Times | access-date = 6 June 2024}} Under Johnston's leadership Toyota emerged as the largest car manufacturer in Australia, surpassing both Holden and Ford. In addition to this, he would also become the President of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries from 1990 to 1992.
In November 1993 the Minister for Trade and Overseas Development, John Kerin, invited Johnston to lead the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) board as Chairman, following the retirement of Bill Ferris.{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127527129 | title = New Austrade chief | first = | last = | author-link = | date = 27 November 1993 | newspaper = Canberra Times | access-date = 6 June 2024}} After retiring from Toyota in December 1994, the final year of his life was consumed by consistent bouts of ill health and cancer diagnoses.{{cite press release |url=http://www.trademinister.gov.au/releases/1995/mt57.html |title=Death of Robert Henry Johnston AO |work=Minister for Trade |date=8 May 1995 |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |access-date=29 November 2012 |archive-date=28 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428081746/http://www.trademinister.gov.au/releases/1995/mt57.html |url-status=live }} Ultimately, following Johnston's death in May 1995, at the age of 70, Prime Minister Paul Keating remarked in a press release that Johnston was a "true captain of Australian industry" and through his actions, had strengthened Australia's economic ties with the emerging markets of Japan and China.{{cite web| url = https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-9566 | title = STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON PJ KEATING MP ROBERT HENRY JOHNSTON AO, CHAIRMAN OF AUSTRADE | first = | last = | author-link = | date = 9 May 1995 | website = Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | access-date = 6 June 2024}}{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130549343 | title = Reverend captain of trade | first = Peter | last = Brewer | author-link = | date = 9 May 1995 | newspaper = Canberra Times | access-date = 6 June 2024}}
In the 1994 Australia Day Honours List, Johnston was awarded with the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to manufacturing particularly in relation to the automotive industry.{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid= 870946 |date= 26 January 1994 |recipient= Mr Robert Henry JOHNSTON |award= Officer of the Order of Australia |access-date= 6 June 2024}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{S-start}}
{{S-gov}}
{{S-bef|before= Bill Ferris }}
{{S-ttl|title= Chairman of the Austrade |years= 17 December 1993 – 7 May 1995}}
{{S-aft|after= Roger Allen (acting) }}
{{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Robert Henry}}
Category:20th-century industrialists
Category:20th-century Australian businesspeople
Category:Australian chief executives