Phillip Scanlan

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Phillip H Scanlan has recently retired as Australia's Consult-General based in New York. He and his American wife have remained in the USA. Previously he had a mixed career in Australian business, and with close links to the Liberal government. He was also involved in establishing think-tank and society-type operations to promote free-enterprise views,

He is now the principal of investment and advisory house Inteq Limited, and Visiting Fellow at Mt Eliza Business School. In June 2003 Mr Scanlan became the first Fellow to be appointed by the newly formed Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).

Scanlan obviously sees his mission in life to bring together business and politics through sitting on the boards of as many committees and corporations as he can find open to his services.

He was the chief lobbyist in Australia employed by AMATIL/British-American Tobacco (BAT) for many years. He was also a member of John Hyde's Crossroads Group in Western Australia and involved in the Institute of Public Affairs (when Hyde and Clough took it over) and other funding and lobbying groups behind various Liberal governments and oppositions. He later became consul-general in New York for his services.

Older Memberships

Quick Timeline

NOTE: The Phillip H Scanlan's name has often been misspelled as Phil Scanlon.

Phillip H Scanlan (AM)

Education: 1 year at Harvard University (M Pub.Admin,), 2 at Oxford (MA History), 4 at Uni Sydney (B.Econ)

  • (pre 1976) Teacher at St Peters College Adelaide
  • 1976 - 1977 Data management with CSR (West Australian asbestos).
    • 1976 - 1979 (circa) Member of the 'Dry' Liberal political faction known as the Crossroads Group (John Hyde, Howard Clough)
  • 1977 - 1978 Aide to South Australian Liberal leader (in Opposition)
  • 1978 - 1979 Aide to Peter Coleman, NSW Liberal Party leader
  • 1979 - 1989 Manager, then Director Corporate Affairs Amatil (WD&HO Wills Cigarettes)
  • 1984 - 1989 Executive Director of Coca-Cola Amatil (WD&HO Wills/BAT) also Chairman until 1989 [Nick Greiner was Chairman later]
    •   1983 Stated on TV that he " didn't believe smoking constituted a health risk."
    •   1984 Jun 18 He stated on TV "... the industry believes that there is no evidence to substantiate that it [nicotine] is addictive",
      •   1989Made a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his voluntary service to International relations, and promotion of public health and environmental concerns."
  • 1989 - 1992 Director of Corporate Affairs, Coca-Cola Amatil (Includes the tobacso company) & Manager of the Beverages Division
    • 1988 - 1993 Chairman of Gerard Henderson's conservative Sydney Institute (linked to both the IPA and CIS) Still Emeritus Chairman.
    • 1992 With his wife he founded, Australian American Leadership Dialogue (AALD) after discussion with George W Bush. Bipartisan lobbyist Anne Wexler handled the American end.

The AALD runs an annual closed-door off-the-record gathering of influential and rising figures in government, media, business and academia.) + Young Leadership Dialogue (YLD). His American wife Julie Singer Scanlan, (ex CNBC TV anchorwoman) is Vice Chair, Australian American Education Leadership Foundation (AAELF) + Pres of Singer Scanlan Group,

  • 1993 - 1996; CEO Hallmark Asia Pacific. During this period he also chaired Central Sydney Area Health Services.
  • 1996 - 2000: CEO Bonlac Foods. Company lost $186 million in the last three years
  • 2001 Mar: Established with his wife the Singer Scanlan Group Pty Lrd. - which is now Singer Scanlan Associates Pty Ltd. (probably family holding company -- they have 7 children) Also Singer Scanlan Communications.
    • 2003 Sept Bonlac Food has fallen under control of NZ dairy giant Fonterra. Bonlac failed over hedging decisions on foreign currency dating back to 1996 and its subsequent aggressive expansion under Scanlan. [2]
    • 2003 (Retired ??) Scanlan has received the Centenary Medal
  • 2003 Mar Creates "Renling Pty Ltd" (Subsidiary of Singer Scanlan)
  • 2004 Apr Reregistered the Singer Scanlan Group (was from 1986). Now registered in NSW (unknown activities)
  • 2005 Nov Working with Asialink (Uni of Melbourne) "National Center for Asia Capability"' to raise the importance of Asia in Australian Education. (Chr, Carillo Gantner)
  • 2006 Nov Singer Scanlan Group registers the trademark "Rags to Riches"). Associated company Renling P/L
  • 2009 Apr -2013 Sep: Australian Consulate-General in New York, (Appointed by 'long-time friend' Kevin Rudd)
  • 2013 founded the New York Global Leader's Dialogue, Remaining in the USA.
  • 2014 June under the Labor government, the Australian-American Leadership Dialogue had become a labor trade promotion organisation, which was abandoned by the conservative political forces. Scanlan has stepped back from his involvement. [3]

He remains Emeritus Governor of the Sydney Institute. [4]

Other links

The Australian Davos Connection: was founded in 1996 to promote the World Economic Forum. It changed its name to the ADC Forum in 2010. This group has a 'mission' to bring together the elite leaders of the Australian business world together with the top politicians and trade bureaucrats. Its efforts are best represented by its

ADC Forum’s flagship initiative -- the Australian Leadership Retreat, convened annually on the One&Only Hayman Island. This ‘invitation only’ two and a half day Retreat brings together Federal Cabinet Ministers from Australia and Asia, State Premiers and Senior Ministers, Chief Executives from the top 100 companies in Australasia, senior government officials, leading international academics and other community leaders to discuss the key issues affecting the nation, the wider region, and the international community.

ADC Forum also conducts the annual Future Summit which provides a collaborative framework for Australia’s established and emerging leaders to share ideas, exchange views and create defined outcomes to improve Australia’s future [also] a range of other initiatives ranging from Boardroom briefings and Corporate/Government consultations such as Canberra Connections, to high-profile one day summits focusing on critical issues such as the 2014 National Infrastructure and Cities Summit. [5]

Resources and articles

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References