David Crawford remembered as a titan of Australia’s boardrooms

From leading insolvency action against Alan Bond and Christopher Skase to boardroom tussles, former Lendlease and South32 chairman David Crawford is being remembered as a titan of many arenas.

Former Lendlease chairman David Crawford has died. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian

Former Lendlease and South32 chairman David Crawford is being remembered as a titan of Australia’s boardrooms and an influential figure in the country’s sporting landscape following his death last week.

Mr Crawford died in his home city of Melbourne on Thursday, from where he forged a career that took him to the top of some of the country’s largest companies.

He was 80 years old.

Educated at the prestigious Scotch College in Melbourne, Crawford spent more than 30 years at consulting firm KPMG where he rose to prominence following the sharemarket crash of 1987, when he led some of Australia’s most significant corporate insolvencies involving disgraced tycoons Alan Bond and Christopher Skase.

David Crawford, left, pictured in 1990 during his time at KPMG, where he oversaw insolvencies involving disgraced businessmen including Alan Bond and Christopher Skase. Picture: Paul Burston

He later went on to chair a string of blue chip companies including Foster’s Group, property giant Lendlease, South32 and National Foods, and held directorships with BHP and Westpac.

In addition to becoming one of the most prominent company directors, Crawford made significant contributions to government bodies and sporting, arts and educational institutions.

He chaired the Australian Ballet and was vice-president and treasurer of the Melbourne Cricket Club, where he played a key role in facilitating a major redevelopment of the ground in the early 2000s.

New Fosters chairman David Crawford (L) with CEO Trevor O'Hoy during Fosters AGM at the Convention Centre in Adelaide.

In a statement, the MCC said Crawford would be remembered as “a humble gentleman whose passion for business and sport was unmatched”.

“His business acumen and affiliation with sporting bodies such as the AFL and Cricket Australia in his professional career aided in the negotiation of numerous club arrangements during his tenure,” the MCC said.

“David was deeply respected by his peers, who often admired his common-sense approach to navigating challenges and his commitment to excellence.

“David was an integral part of the Melbourne Cricket Club community and he will be deeply missed.”

Crawford, right, at the official ASX listing of South32 in 2015.

Crawford also authored four landmark reports addressing structural reform in the AFL, cricket, soccer and the future of sport in Australia.

In 2009 he oversaw the Crawford report into Australian sports funding, and in the same year was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Mr Crawford began scaling back his corporate activities in 2018 when he stepped down as chairman of Lendlease. In 2019, he resigned as chairman of BHP’s mining spin-off South32.

Mr Crawford is survived by wife Maureen and the families of his three children. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at Scotch College in Melbourne.

Originally published as David Crawford remembered as a titan of Australia’s boardrooms