Arvi Parbo

Sir Arvi Parbo is a business executive who was concurrently chairman of three of Australia's largest companies. He was made a Knight Bachelor for services to industry in 1978.

Parbo joined Western Mining Corporation (WMC Limited) in 1956 and in 1974 he was appointed Chairman and Managing Director. In 1986 he relinquished this position and became Executive Chairman. In 1990 he retired as an executive but was appointed non-executive Chairman and retired from this position in 1999.

Parbo was Chairman of Alcoa of Australia from 1978 to 1996, Chairman of Munich Reinsurance Company of Australia from 1984 to 1998 and Chairman of Zurich Australian Insurance group from 1985 to 1998. He was appointed a Director of the Aluminum Company of America from 1980 to 1998, Hoechst Australian Investments from 1981 to 1997, Chase AMP Bank from 1985 to 1991 and Sara Lee Corporation from 1991 to 1998. In 1987, Parbo was appointed a Director of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP) and was appointed Chairman in 1989 until retirement in 1992. 

Sir Arvi Parbo is currently on the Board of Governors for the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. He was also a member of the Advisory Board for the Tasman Institute between 1990-1991.