Donald Trump names Darwin-born Andrew Liveris to head up American manufacturing council

US PRESIDENT-elect Donald Trump has named Darwin-born Andrew Liveris to head up an American manufacturing council tasked with bringing industry back to the US

President-elect Donald Trump thanks Dow Chemical Company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Liveris during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan

US PRESIDENT-elect Donald Trump has named Darwin-born Andrew Liveris to head up an “American manufacturing council” that will be tasked with bringing industry back to the US.

Mr Liveris, who is the current chairman and chief executive of Dow Chemical Co, will head the Manufacturing Council, a private sector group that advises the US secretary of commerce.

Mr Trump made the announcement during a rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he introduced Mr Liveris, 62, a dual US-Australian citizen after he accepted the appointment.

The panel to promote US manufacturing will be “tasked with finding ways to bring industry back to America”, Mr Trump said.

Mr Liveris praised Mr Trump’s plans, saying: “You’re paving the way … with your policies to make it easier to do business in this country – not a red-tape country but a red-carpet country for American businesses.”

Mr Liveris said that Dow would soon take a new research-and-development centre to Michigan.

Mr Liveris is also a friend of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and spent Easter Sunday at his Point Piper mansion this year.

He and his wife Paula bought a $8.5 million home in the exclusive Sydney suburb, which is near the PM’s home.

Mr Liveris is Darwin-born and the son of Greek immigrants. His cousin, also named Andrew Liveris, still lives in Darwin and said he was continually amazed by his cousin’s achievements.

“When I heard of it my email to Andrew was that this was another Mt Everest-sized datum you have set,” he said.

“Andrew is a very capable individual and a great person, a great man.

“One of the things about being raised in Darwin is that in my opinion, and it’s a very common trait here, is that success doesn’t change Darwin people; they just absorb it, move on and remain real.”

The cousins still see each other often, usually meeting in Greece.

“Two traits that come through very strongly are his Darwin origins and his beginning from parents and grandparents who made great sacrifices and that couples with his Greek origins,” Mr Liveris said.

“None of this would have happened had his grandfather not come to Darwin one hundred years ago.”

In a 2009 interview with the NT News, Mr Liveris said he was fiercely proud of his Territory roots.

‘‘I travel around the world and whenever people ask me where I’m from, I say, ‘Darwin, Australia’,” he said.

During this year’s election, Mr Liveris refused to endorse Hillary Clinton or Mr Trump.

While he believed Mr Trump “has an audience”, he thought Ms Clinton was “the better candidate”.