A brief profile of Chris Renwick
Chris lived in the Black Rock/Sandringham area for 20 years before work took him to places as distant as Singapore, Perth and Brisbane.
After an Arts/Law degree at Melbourne University, he found himself working as a Commonwealth Crown Solicitor before working in a solicitor’s office in Warragul, eventually taking up an appointment with CRA in the Hamersley Head Office in Melbourne. His work involved construction contracts, sales contracts, shipping and a wide range of other legal work, rising to become Company Secretary and General Counsel before taking over Corporate Planning in 1978. This was followed by an appointment with Australian Mining & Smelting, then one operating out of Singapore seeking new business opportunities in Asia, and then running a small business, CRA Timber, which owned some of the largest forest areas in NSW and was a major supplier to the housing and construction industries.
Chris moved to Brisbane with Comalco in 1989 as Managing Director- Minerals and Alumina and was subsequently elevated to Group Executive for Accounting, Finance, Administration, Planning and personnel for CRA based in Melbourne.
This was followed by a move to Perth as Chief Executive – Rio Tinto Iron Ore with operations in Brazil, India and Canada.
As CEO of RTIO he was also Chairman of Hamersley Iron.
He retired in 2004. Chris has been a non-executive director with Transurban, Sims Metal, Coal & Allied and Downer-EDI.
Chris was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his extensive work as National President of the Australia China Business Council, Vice President of the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee and a member of the Australia Korea Business Committee, particularly fostering the development of Australia’s overseas trade export activities.
In retirement, he has been active in charity work, including six years as a guide with the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.
Chris and Margery have three sons and nine grandchildren.
Chris spent some 18 years in the CMF/Army Reserve. He is a keen, amateur, military historian.
Chris made an outstanding presentation to Beaumaris Probus in 2017. CLICK Here to see his presentation
Chris was President of Beaumaris probus in 2021