Rod Eddington

{{Infobox person

| name = Rod Eddington

| honorific_prefix = Sir

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO|FTSE}}

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|01|02|df=y}}[https://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/12606.html Rod Eddington], CricInfo. Retrieved 15 December 2020.

| birth_place = Perth, Western Australia, Australia

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| education = Christ Church Grammar School

| alma_mater = University of Western Australia
University of Oxford

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| occupation = Director, News Corporation

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Sir Roderick Ian Eddington (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

{{Infobox cricketer

| country = Australia

| batting = Left-handed

| bowling = Slow left-arm orthodox

| club1 = Oxford University

| year1 = {{nowrap|1975–1976}}

| type1 = FC

| debutdate1 = 26 April

| debutyear1 = 1975

| debutfor1 = Oxford University

| debutagainst1 = Sussex

| lastdate1 = 23 June

| lastyear1 = 1976

| lastfor1 = Oxford University

| lastagainst1 = Sussex

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 8

| runs1 = 130

| bat avg1 = 13.00

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 24

| deliveries1 = 600

| wickets1 = 8

| bowl avg1 = 41.12

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/48

| catches/stumpings1 = 4/–

| date = 16 December

| year = 2009

| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29219/29219.html CricketArchive

}}

Coming from a country area where there were no high schools, Eddington went to Perth in 1963 to attend Christ Church Grammar School.{{cite web|last1=Newman|first1=Peter|authorlink=Peter Newman (environmental scientist)|title=Sir Rod Eddington: 'The infrastructure challenges are real'|url=http://theconversation.com/sir-rod-eddington-the-infrastructure-challenges-are-real-4563|website=theconversation.com|publisher=The Conversation Media Group|accessdate=6 February 2015|date=6 December 2011}}{{cite book|last1=Edwards |first1=Peter |last2=Hillman |first2=Wendy |title=A School With A View: a centenary history of Christ Church Grammar School, Perth 1910-2010 |year=2010|publisher=Christ Church Grammar School |location=Claremont |isbn=9780646543734 |at=Appendix 23: Student Register, pp 379–450 }}{{cite web | url = http://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/rhodes?f=192731 | title = Western Australian Rhodes Scholars | accessdate = 2013-12-19 | format = doc | publisher = University of Western Australia | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110407231628/http://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/rhodes?f=192731 | archivedate = 7 April 2011 }} 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.{{cite web

| url = http://www.development.uwa.edu.au/alumni_relations/interesting_alumni#6

| title = Interesting Alumni

| accessdate = 2007-04-30

| author = University of Western Australia, Office of Development

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070828212310/http://www.development.uwa.edu.au/alumni_relations/interesting_alumni#6 |archivedate = 2007-08-28}} 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. He was President of Vincent's Club in 1977.{{Cite web |title=Vincent's Club Presidents |url=http://www.vincents.rogerhutchings.co.uk/about/history/vincents-club-presidents/ |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Vincent's Club |language=en-GB}}

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.{{cite news |last1=Schulze |first1=Jane |title=News Ltd rejigs top jobs |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWGLNB&req_dat=1054640702C8DBC0&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F11BC022C4EB34288 |access-date=26 June 2024 |work=The Age |via=Newsbank |date=2 September 1998 |url-access=subscription}} He was further promoted to the News Corporation board in September 1999.{{cite web | last=Bartholomeusz | first=Stephen | title=Highly influential, low profile: Why Eddington prefers movers like the Murdochs | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=17 October 2018 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/highly-influential-low-profile-why-eddington-prefers-movers-like-the-murdochs-20181012-p509cm.html | access-date=15 December 2020}}

=British Airways CEO=

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.{{cite news |title=BA to axe 7,000 jobs |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/sep/20/september11.usa10 |access-date=26 June 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=20 September 2001}}

In 2003, he retired the British Airways Concorde, a move viewed as controversial.{{cite web|url=http://www.concorde-spirit-tours.com/concorde.htm|title=THE BETRAYAL OF CONCORDE|website=www.concorde-spirit-tours.com|access-date=7 January 2014|archive-date=2 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202181316/http://www.concorde-spirit-tours.com/concorde.htm|url-status=dead}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Michael |date=2012-04-13 |title=Walsh to replace Eddington at BA |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/walsh-to-replace-eddington-at-ba-7169429.html |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}

=Board memberships=

In February 2006, Eddington served as a non-executive board member of JPMorgan representing Australia and New Zealand.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

As of 2018, he still served on the boards of News Corp and 21st Century Fox. In April 2019 he joined the board of News Corp's Herald and Weekly Times in Victoria.{{cite web | title=Sir Rod Eddington AO Joins Herald & Weekly Time Board | website=B&T | date=15 April 2019 | url=https://www.bandt.com.au/sir-rod-eddignton-ao-joins-herald-weekly-time-board/ | access-date=15 December 2020}}

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|lc=yes|December 2020}}.{{cite web | title=Our Leadership - About Us | website=Lion | url=https://www.lionco.com/about-us/our-leadership | access-date=15 December 2020}}

{{as of|December 2020}} Eddington was:

chair of JP Morgan's Asia-Pacific Advisory Council;
chair of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia;
a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council; and
President of the Australia Japan Business Cooperation Committee.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

Government reports

=Transport Study in Britain=

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|date=December 2020}}

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.{{cite web| title = Speech by Rod Eddington to the Commonwealth Club in London on 1 December 2006| author = Rod Eddington| date = December 2006| url = http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/187604/206711/speech| publisher = Department for Transport| access-date = 29 April 2008| archive-date = 4 July 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080704081713/http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/187604/206711/speech| url-status = dead}}

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|date=December 2020}}

=Transport Study in Victoria, Australia=

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.{{cite news| url=http://business.theage.com.au/business/eddington-report-raises-questions-20080403-23ja.html | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | first=Malcolm | last=Maiden | title=Eddington report raises questions | date=4 April 2008}}

Honours

Eddington is a Council member of the Royal Institution of Australia.{{Cite web|url=https://riaus.org.au/organisation/|title=Royal Institution of Australia > Organisation|website=Royal Institution of Australia|language=en-Au|access-date=23 April 2020|archive-date=16 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416162743/https://riaus.org.au/organisation/|url-status=dead}}

Eddington received a British knighthood in 2005 for services to the aviation industry.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2006/dec/08/transportintheuk.australia|title=Affable airline boss becomes knight of the roads|work=The Guardian|date=2006-12-08|access-date=2023-08-01}}

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",[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1145055 EDDINGTON, Roderick Ian - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)], 26 January 2012, It's an Honour 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".

References

External links

{{YouTube|il36J0c1CFM|Talking to John Brumby}}
[http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/transportstrategy/eddingtonstudy/ The Eddington Transport Study at the DfT]
[http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/research/research-and-policy-development-publications/investing-in-transport-report Investing in Transport: East West Link Needs Assessment Report to Victorian Government, March 2008.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729074334/http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/research/research-and-policy-development-publications/investing-in-transport-report |date=29 July 2013 }}
{{cricinfo|id=12606}}