Laurence Muir

In 2007, Muir published: "Some Inspirational People", subtitled: 15 inspirational Australians profiled by Laurence MacDonald Muir.

He was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001 "for outstanding service to the business, financial and research community".

In the lead up to the 1996 bid by Melbourne for the right to host the Olympic Games, he served as a Commissioner responsible for winning the votes of all IOC members in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions. After five visits to fifteen countries and visitation from the IOC officials, the quest ended unsuccessfully in Tokyo.

Sir Laurence assisted Prof Michael Gore through corporate sponsorship to establish Questacon. He served as Deputy chairman from 1988 to 1996.

In 1987 he helped to bring the Earthwatch Institute to Australia and with Sir John Crawford, Professor Ruther Ford Robertson, and Dr Jim Vernon, was a founding Trustee. He remained active in Earthwatch until his death and was Co-Patron with Sir Ninian Stephen. Earthwatch has now funded and organised some 3000 scientific missions to save the Planet.

In 1986 he worked with Sir Ian McLennan and Mr Baillieu Myer and the Minister for Science Hon. Barry Jones to establish the National Science and Technology Centre. In 1988 the centre was built in the Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra enabling science to take its place with the Arts and the Law. The Board of the National Science and Technology Centre was asked by the Government to take hands on science to every part of Australia, which has happened.

In 1984 he founded and funded the Delta Society of Australia. The aim of the society was to make Governments and the Community more aware of the benefits of pets both as companions and for therapy. Working with a group of leading Veterinarians and Dr Warwick Anderson of the Baker Medical Research Institute, a three-year study of heart patients showed that patients benefited substantially from a companion animal.

In 1984 at the request of the Commonwealth Government, he chaired a partnership between the Government and the private-sector, which was designed to encourage the commercial development of medical equipment and innovations in the major public hospitals and university laboratories. The Australian Biomedical Corporation was launched in the mid eighties with Muir as chairman. It was subsequently the subject of a private sector takeover.

Muir was knighted in 1981 for distinguished service to the community. His activities since then combined corporate board work with government and community service.

In 1981 Muir established for the Federal Government the Canberra Development Board and as its chairman for eight years, he was responsible for stimulating the private sector growth of the ACT economy. During this time, he assisted the Government in attracting and staging the IAAF World Cup in Athletics in Canberra. As Chairman of the Parliament House Construction Authority Artworks Advisory Committee, he worked with arts and crafts professionals from all over Australia to assemble the notable collection of 20th-century art, which is a feature of the new Parliament House.

In 1980 he chaired on behalf of CEDA (of which he was a life trustee) a two-day conference in Canberra involving federal ministers, opposition spokesmen, Trade Union leaders, treasure officials, academics, and forty business leaders. The Agenda explored the need for a business round table to be available for consultation with the Government, and as a result, the Australian Business Council was formed about 20 months later.

Sir Muir served on the Boards of ANZ Bank, Alcoa of Australia Limited, Australian Consolidated Industries Limited, Wormald International Limited, National Commercial Union Limited, The Herald and Weekly Times Limited, Hudson Conway Limited, Publishing and Broadcasting Limited, Crown Limited, State Development Fund Ltd, and Templeton Global Growth Fund. He was Chairman of Liquid Air Australia Limited and served on the L'Air Liquide International Board. He served on the General Motors Australian Advisory Council since its formation in 1978.

In 1973 as Deputy Chairman of the Scotch College Council, he was asked to Chair his third fundraising appeal. This led to the establishment of the Scotch College Foundation, which harnesses the funding resources of the whole Scotch Family to finance the building and development program of the School. To date, the foundation has raised $37 million, and most similar schools in Australia have adopted the format.

Muir was born in Victoria and educated at Scotch College (Captain of School 1942) and the University of Melbourne. After service in the Royal Australian Navy from late 1942 until 1946, he gained a Law Degree and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1950. From 1950 to 1980, Muir was a leading sharebroker specialising in underwriting major capital raisings for large Australian companies and a senior partner with Potter Partners.

Sir Laurence Macdonald Muir, VRD, FSIA, FAIM (3 March 1925 – 21 April 2010) was an Australian businessman and philanthropist..

In the mid eighties he served with Sir Eric Neal as chairman for the Finance Committee for the 6th Duke of Edinburgh Study Conference. The corporate response was such that after a successful conference, a surplus of $250,000 was available for the future.