John Roberts (businessman)
Encyclopedia
John Charles Roberts AO
(23 January 1934 - 8 June 2006) was an Australian businessman who was the founding chairman and an executive director of construction company Multiplex.
in New South Wales
between 1951 and 1958. From 1959 to 1961 he worked on the Menindee
irrigation system and the pumping station which brought water from the Darling River
to Broken Hill.
in Sydney Olympic Park
which was the main stadium for the 2000 Summer Olympics
.
Multiplex successfully bid for the A$1.2 billion project to rebuild Wembley Stadium
. However, this project was plagued by cost overruns and missed deadlines leading to his resignation as Executive Chairman in 2005. In 1988, he was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contribution to the construction industry.
The 2006 BRW Rich List
estimated his wealth at $740 million, down from $1.1 billion the previous year.
He was a keen supporter of horse racing serving as the Chairman of the Western Australian Turf Club between 1984 and 1987. He served on the committee between 1971 and 1987.
Roberts died at his home in Perth at the age of 72 after a long battle with diabetes.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(23 January 1934 - 8 June 2006) was an Australian businessman who was the founding chairman and an executive director of construction company Multiplex.
Early life and career
On leaving school he worked in the construction industry in Broken HillBroken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
between 1951 and 1958. From 1959 to 1961 he worked on the Menindee
Menindee, New South Wales
Menindee is a small town in the far west of New South Wales, Australia, in Central Darling Shire, on the banks of the Darling River, with a sign-posted population of 980.-History:...
irrigation system and the pumping station which brought water from the Darling River
Darling River
The Darling River is the third longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth, New South Wales. Including its longest contiguous tributaries it is long, making it the longest river system in Australia.The...
to Broken Hill.
Multiplex
Roberts established Multiplex Constructions Pty Limited in 1962. He was Chief Executive between 1962 and 2003 and Chairman until 2005. As Perth boomed, Multiplex expanded nationally across Australia and then internationally. It built Telstra StadiumTelstra Stadium
Stadium Australia, currently also known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, formerly known as Telstra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay...
in Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
which was the main stadium for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.
Multiplex successfully bid for the A$1.2 billion project to rebuild Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. However, this project was plagued by cost overruns and missed deadlines leading to his resignation as Executive Chairman in 2005. In 1988, he was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contribution to the construction industry.
The 2006 BRW Rich List
Business Review Weekly
BRW is an Australian weekly business magazine published by the Fairfax Media group. It regularly compiles lists which rank corporations and individuals according to various criteria, similar to Fortune magazine in the United States.BRW provides news and commentary on the economy, business and...
estimated his wealth at $740 million, down from $1.1 billion the previous year.
Personal life
Roberts married Angela Egerton-Warburton in 1964 with the marriage being dissolved in 1999 [Who's Who in Australia 2006]. His children are Andrew Roberts, Tim Roberts, Denby Macgregor and Angela Roberts.He was a keen supporter of horse racing serving as the Chairman of the Western Australian Turf Club between 1984 and 1987. He served on the committee between 1971 and 1987.
Roberts died at his home in Perth at the age of 72 after a long battle with diabetes.