Leigh Clifford

Richard Leigh Clifford AO (born 1948) is the current Chairman of Qantas Airways Limited. Clifford was appointed Chairman at the company's 2007 Annual General Meeting, succeeding Margaret Jackson. He is also Chairman of Bechtel Australia, and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. Clifford was the Chief Executive Officer of the Rio Tinto Group from April 2000 to April 2007. Clifford resides in Melbourne, Australia.

Clifford was educated at the Anglican Church Grammar School and the University of Melbourne, where he graduated with Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) and Master of Engineering Science degrees. His career with the Rio Tinto Group, starting as a mining engineer and retiring as chief executive, spanned 37 years and included time both in Australia and overseas.

He succeeded Peter Costello as the number-one ticketholder for the Essendon Football Club in March 2008. However he was, in turn, replaced by Lindsay Tanner in September 2009.