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Michael Chaney

Michael Alfred Chaney AO (born in Perth, Western Australia) is an Australian businessman, and current Chairman of the National Australia Bank Limited, Woodside Petroleum Limited and Gresham Partners Holdings Limited. He is Chancellor of the University of Western Australia, a member of the JPMorgan International Council and a Director of the Centre for Independent Studies.Son of Sir Fred Chaney, a minister in the Menzies government and brother to Fred Chaney, a former Deputy Liberal leader, he attended and graduated from Aquinas College, Perth.Mr Chaney graduated with Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Western Australia in 1972 and 1980 respectively. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 1992 and has also been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from The University of Western Australia.After obtaining his Science degree, Mr Chaney worked for eight years as a petroleum geologist in Australia and the USA. He joined the Australian Industry Development Corporation in 1980 as a corporate finance executive and became Manager for Western Australia in 1981. He joined Wesfarmers in 1983 as Company Secretary and Administration Manager, became Finance Director in 1984 and was appointed Managing Director in July 1992. He retired from that position in July 2005.Mr Chaney was a director of BHP Limited and subsequently BHP Billiton Limited from 1995 to 2005.He is Chairman of the National Australia Bank, and Chancellor of The University of Western Australia.Mr Chaney was made an Officer in the Order of Australia on 14 June 2004 for service to the business sector through innovative leadership and management strategies, and to the community through involvement with and support for a broad range of artistic, cultural and scientific organisations.