Bruce Baird
Chairman
- Level 14, 130 Elizabeth Street
- SYDNEY NSW 2000
- Australia
Personal and Professional Background
Bruce Baird was appointed to the position of non-executive chairman of the McCabe Terrill Board in March 2009. He has had a long and successful career in public office and has held senior roles within corporations and government organisations.
Bruce was the elected member for Cook in the Australian Federal Parliament from 1998 to 2007. Within this role his responsibilities included that of Chairman of the Parliamentary Inquiry into the retail sector (1999), Chairman of the Australian Crime Commission Committee (2001) and Chairman of the Parliament’s Economics Committee (2004). Prior to Federal Parliament from 1995 to 1998 Bruce was appointed Managing Director of the Tourism Council of Australia.
From 1984 to 1995 Bruce was the elected member for Northcott in the New South Wales Parliament. He was appointed in 1984 Shadow Minister for Finance, 1986 Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Transport. In 1988 with the change of government Bruce was appointed Minister for Transport – a position he held for seven years. In addition in 1990 he was appointed Chairman of Sydney’s Olympic Games feasibility study and in the same year appointed Minister for Sydney’s winning Olympic Games bid. In 1993 he was given the added responsibility of Minister for Tourism, Minister Assisting the Premier on Treasury matters and Minister for Roads.
Prior to entering the public arena Bruce held corporate roles in Esso Australia, Alcoa and Qantas and had overseas posting in Germany and New York with Austrade as the Australian Trade Commissioner.
Bruce had held previous board positions in the National Rail Corporation as Chairman 1977 to 1998, ABN AMRO Hoare Govett 1996 to 1998, Tourism Education Services 1996 to 1998, and Tourism Training Australia 1996 to 1998.
He also has currently the following board appointments: Chairman of the Tourism & Transport Forum Advisory Board; Chairman of the Federal Government Refugee Resettlement and Advisory Council; Chairman of the International College of International Management Advisory Board; Chairman of the Perth Convention Centre KPI Committee and a board member of the following: Smith Family, QANTAS Foundation, UTS Humanitarian & Arts Advisory Board, Advocacy Australia Ltd, and NSW Cultural Management Ltd.
Bruce was educated at the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne; he holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the latter and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.