Robert Savage

Robert Savage is recognised as one of Australia’s most authoritative business leaders. Robert Savage is the former CEO of IBM Australia, Chairman of David Jones, Chairman of Perpertual Trustees, a Board Member of Fairfax Media and an Advisory Committee Member of the Sydney Faculty of Economics and Business.
In addition, he has held directorships in Smorgan Steel Group Limited (April 2000 to August 2007) and Mincom Limited (Chairman) (May 2002 to May 2007). As a senior executive in Australia and the Asian region and a non-executive director and chairman across a wide range of Australian companies, Robert Savage has gained an indepth knowledge of strategies for successful people management, organisational change and effectiveness.
Having gained 35 years international experience with IBM in marketing, finance, software development and general management, he is able to offer an expert view of the role of IT in a global business context, particularly in relation to electronic commerce. Robert Savage was instrumental in the reinvention of IBM as a market leader during the mid to late 1990s. As Chairman and Managing Director of IBM Australia and General Manager, Australia and New Zealand, from May 1996 to June 1999 Robert was integral to streamlining and expanding the company.
Prior to that he was Chairman and CEO for IBM Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. Robert Savage turned the flagging China division into a profitable business, with consistent growth in excess of 100% per year, established several manufacturing and software joint ventures and a division of IBM Research in Beijing. He also oversaw the transition of the China workforce from assigned government contract labour to IBM employees.
Robert Savage established, and was Chairman of, IBM Greater China Group, one of the first organisations to combine China, Hong Kong and Taiwan into a single integrated business unit.