Bruce Kean, AM

Former CEO Boral Ltd


Mr. Kean was born in England in 1933 and came to Australia in 1950. He was educated in Melbourne where he studied Chemical Engineering and Economics. He served in the Australian Army (CMF) from 1951, in The Royal Corp of Signals and later The Intelligence Corps, retiring in 1970 with the rank of Major.

He joined Boral Ltd. in 1968, after working for seventeen years with The Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria in a wide range of positions. Mr. Kean was appointed Chairman of Oil Company of Australia Ltd. in May 1987 and Chief Executive and a Director of Boral Ltd. in June 1987. He retired from both positions in January 1994. Mr. Kean was a Director of AMP Ltd. from 1989 to 2000, a Director of the Australian Submarine Corporation from 1995 to 2002, a Director of Capral Aluminium Ltd. from 1995 to 2001, a Director of Pirelli Cables (Australia) Ltd. from 1994 to 2000 and a Director of the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Australia Ltd. from 1994 to 1998. During 1994 he was a Director of Generation Victoria. He was a Director of Folkestone Limited from 2000 until 2008.

He has also been active in Community affairs and was Chairman of The Committee for the Economic Development of Australia from 1994 to 2002. In November 1994 he was appointed Chairman of the Sir David Martin Foundation, retiring in 1998 and was Chairman of the Mental Health Research Institute from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Director of Neuroscience Victoria and Chairman of the ATSE Clunies Ross Foundation.

As well as serving as a non-executive Director of several Public Companies Mr. Kean has also served on a number of Industry and Government Committees. He was a member of the Prime Ministers Economic and Planning Advisory Committee from 1992 to 1994, a member of the Australian Committee of the American Bureau of Shipping from 1989 to 1994, and Chairman of the International Relations and Trade Committee of BCA from 1992 until 1996. He was Chairman of the Commonwealth Governments Committee of Inquiry into the Standards and Conformance Infrastructure of Australia which reported in March 1995 and subsequently Chairman of the Measurement Advisory Committee for CSIRO until 1999. In July 1996 he was appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the "Advisory Panel for the White Paper on Foreign and Trade Policy". In July 1997 he was appointed by The Institution of Engineers, Australia to conduct a review of the processes of formation and delivery of Continuous Professional Development into the 21st Century.

In February 1994 he was awarded The Order of Australia for Service to Industry. In November 1994 he was the recipient of the Sir John Allison Award for achievements in Export and Trade. He has more recently been awarded the Governor-General's Centenary Medal for Service to Australian Society in Technological Industries.

He lives in Melbourne and is a member of The Australian Club. He currently holds the positions of:

  • Chairman, Advisory Committee of the APEC Study Centre
  • Chairman, ATSE Clunies Ross Foundation
  • Director, Neuroscience Victoria Ltd
  • Member, Melbourne Business School
  • Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia - FIE Aus.
  • Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering - FTS
  • Fellow of the Institute of Directors Australia - FAICD
  • Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce - FRSA
  • Life Member of CEDA