Rod Eddington

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Sir

Rod Eddington

Born (1950-01-02) 2 January 1950 (age 74) [1]
Education Christ Church Grammar School
Alma mater University of Western Australia
University of Oxford
Occupation(s)Director, News Corporation
SpouseYoung Sook Park
Children2

Sir Roderick Ian Eddington AO FTSE (born 2 January 1950) is an Australian businessman.

Contents

He was first appointed to the board of News Corporation in 1999 and still serves on the News Corp board, as well as the board of another of Rupert Murdoch's companies, 21st Century Fox, as well as the Herald and Weekly Times in Victoria.

As of December 2020 Eddington is chair of Lion and serves on the board of its Japanese parent company, Kirin. He is also chair of JP Morgan's Asia-Pacific Advisory Council, chair of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, and a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council.

He has served in other senior positions including as CEO of British Airways.

Education and career

On 1 December 2006, Eddington published a UK government-sponsored report into the future of Britain's transport infrastructure. Known as the Eddington Transport Study, it spelled out a plan to improve road and rail networks, as a "crucial enabler of sustained productivity and competitiveness". In its conclusions, the report highlighted Britain's transport networks that provide the right connections, in the right places, to support the journeys that matter to economic performance. But roads in particular were in serious danger of becoming so congested, the economy would suffer.[ citation needed ]

At the launch of the report Eddington told journalists and transport industry representatives introducing road pricing to encourage drivers to drive less was an "economic no-brainer". There was, he said "no attractive alternative". It would cut congestion by half by 2025, and bring benefits to the British economy totalling £28b. [10]

The report also called for a programme of improvements to existing road and rail networks, the expansion of key airports, and adoption of the general principle that travellers should pay for the external costs of the pollution and congestion their journeys cause.[ citation needed ]

Transport Study in Victoria, Australia

Eddington has since delivered a report to the Victorian Government of Australia, the East West Link Needs Assessment report, which was met with mixed reactions. Economic commentators criticised the cost-benefit ratios of Eddington's proposals, which on Eddington's own analysis were marginal at best. [11]

Honours

Eddington is a Council member of the Royal Institution of Australia. [12]

Eddington received a British knighthood in 2005 for services to the aviation industry. [13]

In 2012 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) "for distinguished service to business and commerce through roles with a range of national and international economic, trade, infrastructure development and transport organisations", [14] and was also elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

In 2015 he was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese Government for his "contribution to strengthening the economic relations between Australia and Japan". [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 Rod Eddington, CricInfo. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  2. Newman, Peter (6 December 2011). "Sir Rod Eddington: 'The infrastructure challenges are real'". theconversation.com. The Conversation Media Group. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. Edwards, Peter; Hillman, Wendy (2010). A School With A View: a centenary history of Christ Church Grammar School, Perth 1910-2010. Claremont: Christ Church Grammar School. Appendix 23: Student Register, pp 379–450. ISBN   9780646543734.
  4. 1 2 "Western Australian Rhodes Scholars". University of Western Australia. Archived from the original (doc) on 7 April 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  5. University of Western Australia, Office of Development. "Interesting Alumni". Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  6. 1 2 Bartholomeusz, Stephen (17 October 2018). "Highly influential, low profile: Why Eddington prefers movers like the Murdochs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  7. "THE BETRAYAL OF CONCORDE". www.concorde-spirit-tours.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  8. "Sir Rod Eddington AO Joins Herald & Weekly Time Board". B&T. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Our Leadership - About Us". Lion. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  10. Rod Eddington (December 2006). "Speech by Rod Eddington to the Commonwealth Club in London on 1 December 2006". Department for Transport. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
  11. Maiden, Malcolm (4 April 2008). "Eddington report raises questions". The Age. Melbourne.
  12. "Royal Institution of Australia > Organisation". Royal Institution of Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  13. "Affable airline boss becomes knight of the roads". The Guardian. 8 December 2006. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  14. EDDINGTON, Roderick Ian - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), 26 January 2012, It's an Honour
Cricket information
BattingLeft-handed
Bowling Slow left-arm orthodox
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
Business positions
Preceded by CEO of British Airways
20002005
Succeeded by