James Strong dies | IR News

James Strong dies

Posted Date: 05/03/2013

By Trevor Chappell of AAP

High-profile businessman James Strong has been remembered as a modern renaissance man with a presence across business, sports and the arts.

The 68-year-old former Woolworths chairman died on Sunday in Sydney, following lung complications after undergoing surgery.

His death shocked Australia's corporate, sporting and arts communities. Strong was a former chief executive of Qantas, a former chairman of Woolworths, and current chairman of outdoor clothing and equipment supplier Kathmandu.

He was chairman of the organising committee for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, a member of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and a member of the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board - plus much more.

He loved opera, theatre, dance, motorbikes and V8 supercars. Strong's family described him as "a beautiful man and a great loss".

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce hailed Strong as a giant of Australian aviation, having led the merger of Australian Airlines and Qantas in 1992.

Three years later, he oversaw the privatisation of Qantas. Former Woolworths CEO, Roger Corbett said Strong came from a simple background.

His father was a butcher in Tenterfield in NSW.

"He (James Strong) rose to become one of the most eminent businessmen and citizens," Corbett said. Strong was a keen supporter of motor sport and had a number of motorbikes himself, often riding with business associates. He was notable, too, for his bow ties. "I never saw him with a standard tie," Corbett said.

"It wasn't flamboyant. It was just James Strong."

Corbett described Strong as a consummate gentleman who was astute, clever, tough when he had to be, unfailingly courteous, and loving towards his family and parents.

In business, Strong was demanding, decisive and always supportive.

Former Telstra CEO and current Opera Australia chairman, Ziggy Switkowski, who had known Strong since the late 1980s, described him as a very progressive manager and leader. He had pushed quality management, a focus on customer service and employee engagement, at the front end of the wave of modern management practices, he said.

He "lived" the textbook theory of building good and loyal teams of employees from the executive level to the shop floor. Switkowski said Strong could always be counted upon to be a convincing cheerleader and was "ubiquitous".

"I would describe him as a modern renaissance man who was at home in business, in sports and the performing arts."

AAP

Keywords: James Strong, Woolworths, Kathamandu

Comments:

Monday, March 04, 2013 by Bazza

Did a great job at Qantas & Woolies.

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