Home  »  about  »  Governance  »  Board of Governors  »  Ivan Deveson AO

Ivan Deveson AO

Ivan Deveson AO

Formerly the National President of the Australian Institute of Management, and an international automobile and television executive, Ivan Deveson has a keen interest in local government, microeconomics, management education and training.

Born in 1934, Ivan studied at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and commenced as a Manufacturing Cadet at General Motors in 1955. Two years later he was awarded a scholarship to the General Motors Institute in the United States, where he gained a degree in Industrial Engineering. In 1976 he was awarded a Sloan Fellowship to obtain his Masters Degree in Management at Stanford University.

In a career spanning over 30 years, Ivan worked with General Motors in Australia, USA, Europe and Africa. In 1987, he joined Nissan Australia as Managing Director/CEO, a position he held until his retirement from the automotive industry in 1991. He was Chairman of the Seven Network from 1991 until 1995.

Ivan was named Victorian of the Year in 1991 and received an Order of Australia in the same year for service to the automotive industry and to business.

Ivan was the Lord Mayor of Melbourne from 1996 to 1999.

Ivan was Foundation Chancellor, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (1992-95), a director of the Commonwealth Bank and MIM Holdings, a Director of Crane Holdings Limited, Chairman of Avanteos, a Director of a health food company, and the St. James Ethics Centre.  In addition to membership on the Boards of several community-based associations, he is Patron of Melbourne CityMission. Mr Deveson is an Adjunct Professor and Director in Residence at RMIT School of Management.

Ivan was elected Chairman and President of CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) in November 2002.  He is now a member of CEDA's Board of Governors.

In June 2002, Ivan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Management from Kettering University (SUA) and in May 2003 received an Honorary Doctorate from Australian Catholic University for his contribution to ethics in business.