Michael Chaney AO is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most successful and respected business leaders.
He graduated with Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Western Australia in 1972 and 1980 respectively. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 1992 and has also been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Western Australia.
After obtaining his Science degree, Mr Chaney worked for eight years as a petroleum geologist in Australia and the USA. He joined the Australian Industry Development Corporation in 1980 as a corporate finance executive and became manager for Western Australia in 1981. He joined Wesfarmers in 1983 as company secretary and administration manager, became finance director in 1984, and managing director in July 1992. He retired from that position in July 2005.
Mr Chaney returned to Wesfarmers as chair in 2015. He is also chair Woodside Petroleum, chair of major gold mining company Northern Star Resources in 2021, chair of the National School Resourcing Board, and a director of the Centre for Independent Studies. He was a former chair of the National Australia Bank (retired December 2015) and former Chancellor of The University of Western Australia (retired December 2017).
In 2004, Mr Chaney was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia for services to business and the community.
