Laurence Muir
Encyclopedia
Sir Laurence Macdonald Muir, VRD
, FSIA, FAIM (3 March 192521 April 2010) was an Australia
n philanthropist and businessman.
and educated at Scotch College
(Captain of School 1942), and the University of Melbourne
. After service in the Royal Australian Navy
from late 1942 until 1946, he gained a Law Degree and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria
in 1950. For 30 years from 1950 to 1980, Muir was a leading sharebroker specialising in underwriting major capital raisings for large Australian companies and a senior partner with Potter Partners.
, Australian Consolidated Industries Limited, Wormald International
Limited, National Commercial Union Limited, The Herald and Weekly Times Limited
, Hudson Conway Limited, Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
, Crown Limited
, State Development Fund Ltd, and Templeton Global Growth Fund. He was Chairman of Liquid Air Australia Limited and served on the L’Air Liquide
International Board. He served on the General Motors Australian Advisory Council since its formation in 1978.
He also served the Federal and State Governments and was a member of the Parliament House Construction Authority, the Australian National University Council and inaugural Chairman of the Canberra Development Board.
in 1981 for distinguished service to the community. His activities since then combined corporate board work with government and community service.
He was involved in many charitable organisations and was a patron of both the Microsurgery Foundation and The Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. He was a founding trustee of Earthwatch Australia and a Board Member of the Sir Robert Menzies Trust. He was an honorary life trustee of CEDA
.
At the request of the Commonwealth Government he served for two terms on the Council of the Australian National University
and served for eleven years (the duration) on the Board of the Parliament House Construction Authority.
In 1981 Muir established for the Federal Government, the Canberra Development Board and as its Chairman for eight years he was responsible for stimulating the private sector growth of the ACT
economy. During this time he assisted the Government in attracting and staging the IAAF World Cup in Athletics
in Canberra. As Chairman of the Parliament House Construction Authority Artworks Advisory Committee he worked with arts and crafts professionals from all over Australia to assemble the Magnificent Collection of 20th Century Art, which is a feature of the new Parliament House
.
In 1980 he chaired on behalf of CEDA
(of which he was a life trustee) a two day conference in Canberra involving federal ministers, opposition spokesmen, Trade Union leaders, treasure officials, academics, and forty business leaders. The Agenda explored the need for a business round table to be available for consultation with the Government and as a result the Australian Business Council
was formed about 20 months later.
Throughout the eighties and early nineties he served on the General Motors Advisory Council and was active on the Anti Cancer Business (fund raiser) Committee, which he had chaired since its formation.
Muir was involved in setting up the Annual Cup Day Appeal, The Daffodil Day and more recently assisted Relay for Life to raise funds for the Cancer Council of Victoria. He served ten years on the Board of the Royal Flying Doctors Service (Victorian Division) and was a corporate fundraiser for the initial National Heart Foundation of Australia
, Anti Cancer Council, and Menzies Foundation appeals. He served for fifteen years on the Menzies Foundation Board and for ten years on the National heart Foundation Board. For five years in the mid eighties he chaired the Australian Brain Foundation after which he served for ten years as a Trustee for the Foundation for Development Co-operation (Australian only private aid agency helping the people of underdeveloped countries).
In the lead up to the 1996 bid by Melbourne
for the right to host the Olympic Games, he served as a Commissioner responsible for winning the votes of all IOC members in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions. After five visits to fifteen countries and visitation from the IOC officials, the quest ended unsuccessfully in Tokyo.
For almost forty years he was involved in the Alfred Hospital
and Baker Medical Research Fund Raising effort. After 10 years of service on the Alfred Board he served as a Board Member and later Chairman of The Baker (Australia’s premier Heart Research Institute). He led several fund raising appeals for these institutions. For the past 20 years, he has been Patron
of The Baker Medical Research Institute.
In 1987 he helped to bring the Earthwatch Institute to Australia and with Sir John Crawford, Professor Ruther Ford Robertson, and Dr Jim Vernon, was a founding Trustee. He remained active in Earthwatch until his death and was Co-Patron with Sir Ninian Stephen. Earthwatch has now funded and organised some 3000 scientific missions to save the Planet.
With Dr Bernard O’Brien, Sir William Kilpatrick, and Dr “Weary” Dunlop, he helped to establish the Micro Surgery Foundation in the early seventies. Various fundraising appeals and representation to State and Federal Government resulted in the opening of a first class research centre at St. Vincents Hospital. This centre is a world leader and is flourishing thanks to the skill of Bernard’s successor Prof Wayne Morrison and the leadership of Ronald Walker
the current Chairman. Sir Laurence Muir is proud to be the Patron of the Microsurgery Foundation at the Bernard O’Brien Research Centre.
In the Mid seventies Laurence was challenged to raise $13 million to build St. Vincents Private Hospital
for Sister Fabian the then Head of the Sisters of Charity at St Vincents. Urged on by the devout sister (“God will find a way Mr Muir”) the goal was achieved by persuading the State Government to provide a Government guarantee thereby making the loan a “30/20” semi Governmental which the Institutions were happy to subscribe at a rate the hospital could handle.
In the seventies he chaired a two day conference of independent school Headmaster and Catholic school representatives, resulting the formation of the National Council of Independent Schools. For many years he served on the Council representing Scotch College and was Deputy Chairman to Ian Dixon of Shore.
In 1973 as Deputy Chairman of the Scotch College Council he was asked to Chair his third fundraising appeal. This led to the establishment of the Scotch College Foundation, which harnesses the funding resources of the whole Scotch Family to finance the building and development program of the School. To date the foundation has raised $37 million and most similar schools in Australia have adopted the format.
In the mid eighties he served with Sir Eric Neal as Chairman for the Finance Committee for the 6th Duke of Edinburgh Study Conference. The corporate response was such that after a successful conference a surplus of $250,000 was available for the future.
In 1984 he founded and funded the Delta Society of Australia. The aim of the society was to make Governments and the Community more aware of the benefits of pets both as companions and for therapy. Working with a group of leading Veterinarians and Dr Warwick Anderson of the Baker Medial Research Institute, a three year study of heart patients showed that patients benefited substantially from a companion animal.
In the seventies he set up the Australian Innovation Corporation with ten major Institutions as shareholders. The aim of the Company was to encourage the commercial development of Australian inventions.
In 1984 at the request of the Commonwealth Government he chaired a partnership between the Government and the private sector, which was designed to encourage the commercial development of medical equipment and innovations in the major public hospitals and university laboratories. The Australian Biomedical Corporation was launched in the mid eighties with Muir as Chairman. It was subsequently the subject of a private sector takeover.
In 1986 he worked with Sir Ian McLennan and Mr Baillieu Myer and the Minister for Science Hon. Barry Jones to establish the National Science and Technology Centre. In 1988 the centre was built in the Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra enabling science to take its place with the Arts and the Law. The Board of the National Science and Technology Centre was asked by the Government to take hands on science to every part of Australia. Which has happened.
Sir Laurence assisted Prof Michael Gore through corporate sponsorship to establish Questacon. He served as Deputy Chairman from 1988 to 1996.
Sir Laurence Muir died on 21 April 2010, aged 85.
in 2001 “for outstanding service to the business, financial and research community”.
Volunteer Reserve Decoration
The Volunteer Reserve Decoration was awarded to commissioned officers in the United Kingdom's Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for long service and good conduct.The VRD was established in 1908...
, FSIA, FAIM (3 March 192521 April 2010) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n philanthropist and businessman.
Early life
Laurence Muir was born in VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and educated at Scotch College
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
(Captain of School 1942), and the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. After service in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
from late 1942 until 1946, he gained a Law Degree and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
in 1950. For 30 years from 1950 to 1980, Muir was a leading sharebroker specialising in underwriting major capital raisings for large Australian companies and a senior partner with Potter Partners.
Business
Between 1981 and his death Sir Laurie served on the Boards of ANZ Bank, Alcoa of Australia LimitedAlcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
, Australian Consolidated Industries Limited, Wormald International
Wormald International
Wormald International is a former Australian company that was bought out by Tyco International as of 1990.Joseph Wormald with partner Stanley Russell established Russell and Wormald business in 1889, which continued operating with this name until 1900. Wormald Brothers is formed in 1990 when Harry...
Limited, National Commercial Union Limited, The Herald and Weekly Times Limited
The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd
The Herald and Weekly Times Limited is a newspaper publishing company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned and operated by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited, who purchased HWT in 1987.-Newspapers:...
, Hudson Conway Limited, Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
Publishing and Broadcasting Limited was one of Australia's largest companies, with interests primarily in media and gaming. The company demerged in late 2007, spinning out its gaming interests into Crown Limited...
, Crown Limited
Crown Limited
Crown Limited is one of Australia's largest gaming and entertainment groups. At June 2010, Crown Limited had a market capitalisation of just over A$6 billion and accounted for 27.53% of the S&P/ASX 200 Hotels Restaurants & Leisure Industry Group....
, State Development Fund Ltd, and Templeton Global Growth Fund. He was Chairman of Liquid Air Australia Limited and served on the L’Air Liquide
Air Liquide
L'Air Liquide S.A., or Air Liquide , is a major French company supplying industrial gases and services to various industries including medical, chemical and electronic manufacturers. Founded in 1902, it is first in the world market in its field, now operating in over 80 countries. It is...
International Board. He served on the General Motors Australian Advisory Council since its formation in 1978.
He also served the Federal and State Governments and was a member of the Parliament House Construction Authority, the Australian National University Council and inaugural Chairman of the Canberra Development Board.
Philanthropy
Laurence Macdonald Muir was knightedKnight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1981 for distinguished service to the community. His activities since then combined corporate board work with government and community service.
He was involved in many charitable organisations and was a patron of both the Microsurgery Foundation and The Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. He was a founding trustee of Earthwatch Australia and a Board Member of the Sir Robert Menzies Trust. He was an honorary life trustee of CEDA
Committee for Economic Development of Australia
is an independent, bipartisan, non-profit forum and think tank. Its expressed aim is to "promote national economic development in a sustainable and socially balanced way." Sydney Morning Herald economics editor Ross Gittins has described CEDA as seeking to "inform the public debate without lobbying"...
.
At the request of the Commonwealth Government he served for two terms on the Council of the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
and served for eleven years (the duration) on the Board of the Parliament House Construction Authority.
In 1981 Muir established for the Federal Government, the Canberra Development Board and as its Chairman for eight years he was responsible for stimulating the private sector growth of the ACT
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
economy. During this time he assisted the Government in attracting and staging the IAAF World Cup in Athletics
IAAF World Cup in Athletics
The IAAF Continental Cup is an international athletics competition which comprises track and field events. It is the only world cup contested by teams representing entire continents, rather than just those of individual nations...
in Canberra. As Chairman of the Parliament House Construction Authority Artworks Advisory Committee he worked with arts and crafts professionals from all over Australia to assemble the Magnificent Collection of 20th Century Art, which is a feature of the new Parliament House
Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
.
In 1980 he chaired on behalf of CEDA
Committee for Economic Development of Australia
is an independent, bipartisan, non-profit forum and think tank. Its expressed aim is to "promote national economic development in a sustainable and socially balanced way." Sydney Morning Herald economics editor Ross Gittins has described CEDA as seeking to "inform the public debate without lobbying"...
(of which he was a life trustee) a two day conference in Canberra involving federal ministers, opposition spokesmen, Trade Union leaders, treasure officials, academics, and forty business leaders. The Agenda explored the need for a business round table to be available for consultation with the Government and as a result the Australian Business Council
Business Council of Australia
The Business Council of Australia represents the chief executives of approximately 100 large Australian corporations. It was formed in 1983 by the merger of the Business Roundtable - a spin-off of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia - and the Australian Industry Development...
was formed about 20 months later.
Throughout the eighties and early nineties he served on the General Motors Advisory Council and was active on the Anti Cancer Business (fund raiser) Committee, which he had chaired since its formation.
Muir was involved in setting up the Annual Cup Day Appeal, The Daffodil Day and more recently assisted Relay for Life to raise funds for the Cancer Council of Victoria. He served ten years on the Board of the Royal Flying Doctors Service (Victorian Division) and was a corporate fundraiser for the initial National Heart Foundation of Australia
National Heart Foundation of Australia
The National Heart Foundation of Australia is an independent charity established in 1959. Its vision is for Australians to have the best cardiovascular health in the world and its mission is to reduce suffering and death from heart, stroke and blood vessel disease in Australia.Over the past five...
, Anti Cancer Council, and Menzies Foundation appeals. He served for fifteen years on the Menzies Foundation Board and for ten years on the National heart Foundation Board. For five years in the mid eighties he chaired the Australian Brain Foundation after which he served for ten years as a Trustee for the Foundation for Development Co-operation (Australian only private aid agency helping the people of underdeveloped countries).
In the lead up to the 1996 bid by Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
for the right to host the Olympic Games, he served as a Commissioner responsible for winning the votes of all IOC members in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions. After five visits to fifteen countries and visitation from the IOC officials, the quest ended unsuccessfully in Tokyo.
For almost forty years he was involved in the Alfred Hospital
The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred, also known as Alfred Hospital or The Alfred Hospital, is a major hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria, and the oldest Melbourne hospital still operating on its original site...
and Baker Medical Research Fund Raising effort. After 10 years of service on the Alfred Board he served as a Board Member and later Chairman of The Baker (Australia’s premier Heart Research Institute). He led several fund raising appeals for these institutions. For the past 20 years, he has been Patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of The Baker Medical Research Institute.
In 1987 he helped to bring the Earthwatch Institute to Australia and with Sir John Crawford, Professor Ruther Ford Robertson, and Dr Jim Vernon, was a founding Trustee. He remained active in Earthwatch until his death and was Co-Patron with Sir Ninian Stephen. Earthwatch has now funded and organised some 3000 scientific missions to save the Planet.
With Dr Bernard O’Brien, Sir William Kilpatrick, and Dr “Weary” Dunlop, he helped to establish the Micro Surgery Foundation in the early seventies. Various fundraising appeals and representation to State and Federal Government resulted in the opening of a first class research centre at St. Vincents Hospital. This centre is a world leader and is flourishing thanks to the skill of Bernard’s successor Prof Wayne Morrison and the leadership of Ronald Walker
Ron Walker
Ronald Joseph Walker AC CBE is a former Lord Mayor of Melbourne and Australian businessman, renowned for his work in managing sporting events.-Biography:...
the current Chairman. Sir Laurence Muir is proud to be the Patron of the Microsurgery Foundation at the Bernard O’Brien Research Centre.
In the Mid seventies Laurence was challenged to raise $13 million to build St. Vincents Private Hospital
St Vincents & Mercy Private Hospital
St Vincents & Mercy Private is a hospital in Victoria of Australia, which is located across three campuses in the Melbourne suburbs of Fitzroy, East Melbourne and Kew. The private hospital is jointly owned by the catholic Sisters of Charity and the Sisters of Mercy, as a result of a joint venture...
for Sister Fabian the then Head of the Sisters of Charity at St Vincents. Urged on by the devout sister (“God will find a way Mr Muir”) the goal was achieved by persuading the State Government to provide a Government guarantee thereby making the loan a “30/20” semi Governmental which the Institutions were happy to subscribe at a rate the hospital could handle.
In the seventies he chaired a two day conference of independent school Headmaster and Catholic school representatives, resulting the formation of the National Council of Independent Schools. For many years he served on the Council representing Scotch College and was Deputy Chairman to Ian Dixon of Shore.
In 1973 as Deputy Chairman of the Scotch College Council he was asked to Chair his third fundraising appeal. This led to the establishment of the Scotch College Foundation, which harnesses the funding resources of the whole Scotch Family to finance the building and development program of the School. To date the foundation has raised $37 million and most similar schools in Australia have adopted the format.
In the mid eighties he served with Sir Eric Neal as Chairman for the Finance Committee for the 6th Duke of Edinburgh Study Conference. The corporate response was such that after a successful conference a surplus of $250,000 was available for the future.
In 1984 he founded and funded the Delta Society of Australia. The aim of the society was to make Governments and the Community more aware of the benefits of pets both as companions and for therapy. Working with a group of leading Veterinarians and Dr Warwick Anderson of the Baker Medial Research Institute, a three year study of heart patients showed that patients benefited substantially from a companion animal.
In the seventies he set up the Australian Innovation Corporation with ten major Institutions as shareholders. The aim of the Company was to encourage the commercial development of Australian inventions.
In 1984 at the request of the Commonwealth Government he chaired a partnership between the Government and the private sector, which was designed to encourage the commercial development of medical equipment and innovations in the major public hospitals and university laboratories. The Australian Biomedical Corporation was launched in the mid eighties with Muir as Chairman. It was subsequently the subject of a private sector takeover.
In 1986 he worked with Sir Ian McLennan and Mr Baillieu Myer and the Minister for Science Hon. Barry Jones to establish the National Science and Technology Centre. In 1988 the centre was built in the Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra enabling science to take its place with the Arts and the Law. The Board of the National Science and Technology Centre was asked by the Government to take hands on science to every part of Australia. Which has happened.
Sir Laurence assisted Prof Michael Gore through corporate sponsorship to establish Questacon. He served as Deputy Chairman from 1988 to 1996.
Sir Laurence Muir died on 21 April 2010, aged 85.
Centenary Medal
He was awarded a Centenary MedalCentenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
in 2001 “for outstanding service to the business, financial and research community”.
Publications
- "Some Inspirational People" Profiled by Laurence MacDonald Muir.