Arvi Parbo facts for kids
Sir Arvi Hillar Parbo (born February 10, 1926 – died May 1, 2019) was a very important business leader in Australia. At one point, he was the chairman of three of Australia's biggest companies at the same time: Alcoa World Alumina & Chemicals, Munich Re, and Zurich Australian Insurance.
Early Life and Education
Arvi Parbo was born in Tallinn, Estonia. In 1944, he had to leave his home because of the Soviet occupation. He ended up in a refugee camp in Germany.
From 1946 to 1948, he studied at the Clausthal Mining Academy in Germany. In 1949, he moved to Australia. He continued his studies at the University of Adelaide and earned a degree in engineering in 1955.
A Remarkable Career
Arvi Parbo started working at Western Mining Corporation in 1956. Over the next 12 years, he took on many different roles, learning a lot about the company. He became the General Manager in 1968 and a Director in 1970.
In 1971, he became the Deputy Managing Director and then the Managing Director. By 1974, Arvi Parbo was appointed both the chairman and managing director of Western Mining Corporation. This shows how quickly he rose through the ranks!
Recognitions and Leadership Roles
In 1977, the Arvi Parbo Medal was created to honor an engineering student from the University of Adelaide. This medal is still given out every year today, in partnership with Engineers Australia.
In 1978, Arvi Parbo was given a special honor: he was made a Knight Bachelor for his great contributions to industry. This means he was called "Sir Arvi Parbo."
He stepped down as managing director of Western Mining Corporation in 1986 but stayed on as Executive Chairman. In 1990, he retired from his executive role but continued as a non-executive chairman until 1999.
Sir Arvi Parbo also led many other major companies. He was Chairman of Alcoa of Australia from 1978 to 1996. He also chaired Munich Reinsurance Company of Australia from 1984 to 1998, and Zurich Australian Insurance group from 1985 to 1998. He was also a director for other big companies like Alcoa, Hoechst Australian Investments, Chase AMP Bank, and Sara Lee Corporation.
In 1987, he joined the board of BHP, another huge company, and became its chairman in 1989, retiring in 1992.
In 1993, Sir Arvi Parbo received another high honor: he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia. His portrait was painted by a famous artist, William Dargie, and you can see it at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
He was also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) and was its president from 1995 to 1997. In 1997, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Victoria (FRSV).
Sir Arvi Parbo passed away in Melbourne on May 1, 2019, at the age of 93.
