John B Prescott

Chairman of Aurizon Limited (2010-2015)

Whilst Chairman of QR National, in preparation for its privatisation, Prescott appointed a Board and management team and handled the successful listing on the ASX which raised $4.6bn in what was the largest IPO in Australia that year.

He was Chairman of Aurizon Limited from 2010 to 2015. Aurizon is Australia's largest rail freight operator and under Prescott's Chairmanship the company grew significantly. The Company's operating ratio improved from 91% in 2010 to 74% in 2015 and a turn around in safety saw the LTIFR reduced by 97% in this time. Aurizon’s share price increased by 95% to $4.96, and under Prescott's stewardship, total shareholder returns increased by 117% from IPO to 30 June 2015.

Chairman of QR National Limited (2006-2010)

From 2006 to 2010 Prescott was Chairman of the Government of Queensland owned entity, Queensland Rail Ltd, that held and managed an extensive passenger and freight railway network. During this time he managed the separation of the company into two separate entities: the passenger rail company, Queensland Rail, and the rail haulage company, QR National, in preparation for the privatisation of QR National.

Chairman of the Australian Submarine Corporation (2000-2009)

Chairman (2000 - 30 June 2009). The company changed its name from the Australian Submarine Corporation Pty Ltd to ASC Pty Ltd on 1 October 2004.

Broken Hill Propietary Company Limited (~1958-1998)

Prescott was "an Executive of The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited, having been with that Company for over 40 years including as an Executive Director for 10 years and as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer from 1991 to 1998".
Prescott's time as CEO of BHP coincided with a number of failed investments which lost the company almost $10 billion.
(Note that Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited did not merge with Billiton until 2001.)

Executive Chairman, Horizon Private Equity Pty Ltd (1998-?)

From 1998 Prescott was the Executive Chairman of Horizon Private Equity Pty Ltd. "This is a new private equity fund being established by a group of Australian businessmen to operate in Australia and South East Asia".

Normandy Mining Limited

Director.

Newmont Mining Corporation

Director. He served as Non-Executive Director of Newmont Australia Pty Ltd. from April 1999 to 2002. He served as an Independent Director of Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada Limited from 2002 to 24 April 2013.

Honours and awards

Prescott was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1996 and received the Centenary Medal in 2003.

Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Australian Institute of Management.

He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Monash University in 1994 and an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of New South Wales awarded in 1995.

In 2016 Monash University inaugurated a series of public lectures in his name which focus on human resources, industrial relations and related areas. The University of NSW awards two scholarships named after Prescott — the John Prescott Scholarship in Human Resource Management and the John Prescott Outstanding Teaching Innovation Award.

He has also held the positions of Director of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, and Member then Director of the Business Council of Australia.

Personal

Prescott received a Bachelor of Commerce (Industrial Relations) from the University of New South Wales in 1961.