MUSSE

Mr Ian Renard, Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.

By Christina Buckridge

Mr Ian Renard has announced that he will retire as the Chancellor of the University of Melbourne on 10 January 2009.  He has been Chancellor since January 2005.

Mr Renard’s decision to retire comes after serving on the University Council for 15 years, having seen through the successful start of the Melbourne Model and the renewal of the Vice-Chancellor’s contract.  “This seems an appropriate time to let another member of Council have the opportunity to serve as Chancellor,” he said.

Elected to the Council in 1994 as a representative of the graduates, he later became one of six members appointed by the Council, and was elected as Deputy Chancellor in 2001. 

Mr Renard has been a member of a number of University Council committees and has served as Deputy Chairman of the University’s Finance Committee and Subsidiaries Sub-Committee and Chairman of Melbourne Theatre Company, a department of the University. He currently chairs the VCA Integration Committee, the Council Nomination and Governance Committee, the Remuneration and Employment Conditions Committee and the Honours Committee. 

A Melbourne Arts and Law graduate, he shared the Supreme Court Prize in 1969 and later obtained a Master of Laws. He is co-author of the legal text Takeovers and Reconstructions in Australia.

As a student, Ian Renard was active in student affairs and served as Chair of the Union Council and as Clubs & Societies Officer.

He was previously a partner in commercial law and managing partner of well-known Melbourne law firm Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks. He is currently a director of a number of public companies, and a trustee of the RE Ross Trust.

His other community activities have included serving as President of the Library Board of Victoria, Treasurer of the Free Kindergarten Association, Trustee of the Queens Fund and member of the Board of Management of the Royal Children’s Hospital.

The 21-member University Council will choose the next Chancellor of the University of Melbourne with an election on Monday 8 December 2008. Nominations will be called for on 3 November 2008. If only one nomination is received by the close of nominations on 17 November, that person will be declared elected.

The Chancellor’s term of office is normally three years. However, Mr Renard’s successor will serve for the remaining two years of the current term of office until 31 December 2010.

The new Chancellor will be installed early in 2009.