Ian Munro McLennan KCMG KBE (1909 - 1998)

Born 30 Nov 1909 in Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Dora Haase (Robertson) McLennan — married 1937 in Victoria, Australia

Died 25 Oct 1998 at age 88 in South Yarra, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Ian McLennan KCMG KBE is Notable.

Sir Ian McLennan KCMG KBE BEE FAA FTSE HonFAusIMM was a prominent Australian director of public companies, most notably as Chairman of Australia's then largest company, the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP).

Ian McLennan KCMG KBE was born in Victoria, Australia

Ian McLennan KCMG KBE has Scottish Ancestors.

Ian Munro McLennan was born on 30th November 1909 in Stawell, Victoria, Australia. He was the eldest son of Victorian-born parents Reuben McLennan and Claudia Thomas. ^[1] The family soon after settled in Mooroopna. His younger siblings passed away at young ages, his sister at 33 months in 1920 and brother aged eighteen years in 1933. Having attended Mooroopna Primary and Shepparton High schools, working after school in his father’s flour-milling business, he boarded for three years at Scotch College, Hawthorn.

After leaving school he studied electrical engineering at the University of Melbourne, graduating with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (BEE) in 1932.

After graduating from university he joined the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP) as a cadet in its Whyalla works and at the nearby Iron Knob iron-ore mine, followed by six months each at its gold mine at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and its limestone quarries in Tasmania. During this time his father passed away. In 1936 he moved to head office in Melbourne as assistant to the superintendent of mines and quarries.

Ian married Dora Robertson, a secretary for BHP, on 3rd August 1937 in Scots Church, Melbourne. ^[2]

For the next few years Ian worked at BHP’s Newcastle and Port Kembla steelworks in New South Wales, and in 1941 became production supervisor at Newcastle. From 1947 he split his time between the steelworks and the Melbourne head office as assistant general manager. He was promoted to general manager in 1950.

In April 1971 Ian was appointed Chairman and Director of Administration of BHP, positions he held until 1977 when he reached the compulsory retirement age for BHP directors. During that time he guided the company though a series of major changes including its move into petroleum exploration and production in offshore Bass Strait.

He was a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA), a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE), and also the Foundation President of ATSE. He was made an honorary fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (HonFAusIMM) in 1979.

In the New Year Honours 1956 he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services as a member of the Immigration Planning Council. ^[3] In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1963 he was created Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for services to industry. ^[4] In 1968, both the University of Melbourne and University of Newcastle awarded Sir Ian Honorary Doctorates of Engineering. He was further honoured with a second knighthood when created Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the New Year Honours 1979 for for services to youth, the community and industry. ^[5] Further Honorory Doctorates were bestowed by Wollongong University (1978) and Deakin University (1988).

Following his retirement he began an equally busy career as a non-executive director of major Australian enterprises within a variety of industries. In retirement, Sir Ian and Lady McLennan purchased the homestead and Hereford stud Oatlands, at Narre Warren.

Aged almost 89 years and having been widowed for three years, Sir Ian passed away on 25th October 1998 in South Yarra, Victoria. He was survived by two sons (a third son died in 1990) and a daughter.

The Sir Ian McLennan Award of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Ian McLennan House, the Melbourne home of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, were named in his honour in 1985 and 1987 respectively.

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #6739/1910
2. ↑ Victoria Marriage Index #11447/1937
3. ↑ Australian Honours: CBE; accessed 30 Sep 2023
4. ↑ Australian Honours: KBE; accessed 30 Sep 2023
5. ↑ Australian Honours: KCMG; accessed 30 Sep 2023

See also

• Wikipedia: Ian McLennan; accessed 30 Sep 2023.
• Wright, Claire E F. 'McLennan, Sir Ian Munro (1909–1998)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published online 2022; accessed online 30 Sep 2023.