Queen’s Birthday honours 2017: Jacques Nasser honoured

Outgoing BHP chair Jacques Nasser credits growing up in Australia for giving him the chance to achieve in business.

BHP chair Jacques Nasser

Outgoing BHP chair Jacques Nasser credits growing up in Australia for giving him the chance to achieve what he has in business.

Today the Lebanese-born Nasser was named a Companion of the Order of Australia for his leadership in the mining sector, development of sustainable policies and philanthropy.

The former head of Ford globally and in Australia, Nasser is also on the board of Twenty-First Century Fox. He steps down from the board at BHP later this year.

His philanthropy is based around education, funding the Jacques Nasser Scholarship in Entrepreneurship at RMIT, the Jacques Nasser Scholarship for MBA students at the American University of Beirut and an MBA program at France’s INSEAD School of Business.

“There are very few places in the world where a kid from the northern suburbs (of Melbourne) could have the education and the opportunity to rise through the ranks of companies that are players on the world stage,” Nasser tells The Australian.

Asked about his philanthropy, he says: “When we first came to Australia, people helped us a lot, so it makes sense to try and give back. “I think any leader at any level of a company should spend time actively contributing to the communities where their company operates. It’s a very powerful both in terms of your own development, to set an example for others in the company and part of good corporate citizenship.

Queen’s Birthday Honours

“Australia is a land of extraordinary opportunities. We have amazing natural resources; we have talented and enthusiastic people; we have a history of innovation; we have a strong sense of fairness and we are a perfect bridge because of our population and location to the future.

“I am incredibly proud to receive this honour. Australia has given me enormous opportunity and I have been fortunate to build a career doing things I love.”

Asked what he has learned in business, he says: “The most basic are never say no to opportunity and try to meet a new person every day.”

The Melbourne-raised businessman joined Ford Australia as a financial analyst in 1968, and worked his way to the top, joining its board and becoming president and CEO from 1998 to 2001.

He has served on the BHP board since 2006 and as chair since 2010.