Michael Chaney

Michael Chaney AO (b. 1950), corporate leader, is Chairman of the National Australia Bank. Perth-born Chaney gained a BSc from the University of Western Australia before starting work in the finance and petroleum industries in Australia and the USA. After completing an MBA he spent three years with the Australian Industry Development Corporation before joining Western Australian rural company Wesfarmers in 1983. He served as Chief Financial Officer for eight years before becoming its CEO in 1992. Under Chaney's 13-year leadership the value of Wesfarmers jumped from 1 billion to ten times that amount, expanding into hardware, energy, chemicals and insurance. Over the last 20 years Wesfarmers has been the top performer on the stock exchange in terms of total shareholder return. With a wide reputation for all-round excellence and likeability, Chaney is also a director of BHP Billiton Ltd, Gresham Partners Holdings Ltd, the Business Council of Australia and the Sydney think tank, the Centre for Independent Studies.