William Walter Pettingell
Encyclopedia
Sir William Walter Pettingell CBE (4 September 191427 January 1987) was an Australia
n businessman notable for his services to government and finance.
In 1936 he joined the Australian Gas Light Company
as a research chemist, retiring 38 years later as managing director.
In 1957-58 he conducted a major review of the CSIRO
's Division of Coal Research. One of the review's recommendations was that a mass spectrometer and a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer should be purchased forthwith.
From 1965 to 1967 he was a member of the Reserve Bank of Australia
Board and a Fellow of the Senate of the University of Sydney
. From 1967 to 1969 he was one of the three Commissioners of Sydney appointed by the Premier of New South Wales Robert Askin
after the Labor council was sacked in 1967. At that time he was Chairman of the Australian Gas Light Company
.
Knighted in 1972 for services to business, he was chairman of Australian Consolidated Industries from 1982-86. In 1976, he was appointed to the Foreign Investment Review Board and was deputy chairman until 1985.
He was married to Lady Thora Pettingell and lived for many years in Castlecrag on Sydney's lower north shore.
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 businessman notable for his services to government and finance.
In 1936 he joined the Australian Gas Light Company
Australian Gas Light Company
The Australian Gas Light Company was an Australian gas and electricity retailer. It was formed in Sydney in 1837, and supplied town gas for the first public lighting of a street lamp in Sydney in 1841 AGL was the second company to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company gradually...
as a research chemist, retiring 38 years later as managing director.
In 1957-58 he conducted a major review of the CSIRO
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
's Division of Coal Research. One of the review's recommendations was that a mass spectrometer and a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer should be purchased forthwith.
From 1965 to 1967 he was a member of the Reserve Bank of Australia
Reserve Bank of Australia
The Reserve Bank of Australia came into being on 14 January 1960 as Australia's central bank and banknote issuing authority, when the Reserve Bank Act 1959 removed the central banking functions from the Commonwealth Bank to it....
Board and a Fellow of the Senate of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. From 1967 to 1969 he was one of the three Commissioners of Sydney appointed by the Premier of New South Wales Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
after the Labor council was sacked in 1967. At that time he was Chairman of the Australian Gas Light Company
Australian Gas Light Company
The Australian Gas Light Company was an Australian gas and electricity retailer. It was formed in Sydney in 1837, and supplied town gas for the first public lighting of a street lamp in Sydney in 1841 AGL was the second company to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company gradually...
.
Knighted in 1972 for services to business, he was chairman of Australian Consolidated Industries from 1982-86. In 1976, he was appointed to the Foreign Investment Review Board and was deputy chairman until 1985.
He was married to Lady Thora Pettingell and lived for many years in Castlecrag on Sydney's lower north shore.
Honours
- 1959: Officer of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE)
- 1965: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- 1972: Knight BachelorKnight BachelorThe 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...
for "services to finance and government"