Personal History
RD (Bob) Hill-Ling was an active supporter and valued adviser to the Industry Leaders Fund. Sadly he passed away on 20 November 2015. He is fondly remembered with gratitude.
Bob was the first cadet engineer at Hills Industries Limited in 1951, commencing as a driver and shop floor supervisor. He graduated as a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) in 1957, and was progressively promoted at Hills to become Managing Director in 1967.
He formed several networks including his classmates at university, including such well known South Australian industry leaders as Professor Emeritus Sam Luxton (designed the Olympic Torch), Malcolm Kinnaird AC AO (Kinhill, Adelaide Brighton etc) and Ian Webber AO (Mitsubishi, Mayne Nickless etc).
Bob was married to Rosemary and has two daughters and a son.
His leadership abilities were recognised by invitations to be a director on numerous company boards, including Argo Investments and Korvest.
He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1981 for services to Industry and the Community.
Bob took corporate social responsibility seriously, and contributed to the community as director of several charities and not for-profit-boards, including Bedford Industries Limited and the Carrick Hill Trust. Bob also served in the CMF (Army Reserve) with the Adelaide University Regiment, and was a member of Rotary for over 30 years.
On the industry front, he took a great interest in the Engineering Employers Association SA as a member for 34 years and as President. He also contributed to the Metal Trades Industry Association in Canberra. He was a Foundation Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia.
He was the only South Australian on the new Parliament House Construction Authority in the 1980s.
Views on what makes a leader successful
Bob said that one can be and do whatever one wishes, provided one has the will, plans action carefully and works accordingly. There is no substitute for hard work and tenacity.
Essentially one needs the backing of one’s partner. Selection of a good, faithful, intelligent partner is the first task to tackle for ultimate success in any vocation.
Regular early contact with people on the ‘shop floor’ is necessary to understand how people think and react to any information or communication from management.
Bob was quoted as saying, “I was grateful to have spent time as a driver and also on the factory floor in my early life. People skills are always the most important ingredient for success in advancement to managerial capability. To be a real leader one must have vision, be able to solve problems analytically and be capable of communicating clearly.”
“It helps to know also, how one can devise and visualise the path to accomplishment and the strategy to be followed.”
“I also found involvement in community affairs through Rotary or similar organisations was valuable, as of course is the gradual development of friendly ties in all sides of politics.”
“Naturally one must also be and be seen to be fair, honest, loyal, and transparently humble.”
“Recognising that technology and innovation breed progress means that team selection is a vital factor to get where the organisation must go. Also mastering control through the application of timely financial information is mandatory, and yes, you can do it.”
Anthony Kittel was awarded a grant in 2010 to attend Harvard Business School. After he attended the course he wrote:
I am most appreciative of the Industry Leaders Fund for giving me the opportunity to attend the Harvard Business School Owners Presidents Management Program (OPM43). The first module, which I attended in May/June 2011, was everything I expected plus more. I was stretched over the three week program and certainly did more reading than I have done in a long time. The course was great and they had quite a number of manufacturing case studies which featured entrepreneurship, sales, product costing, marketing, negotiation and leadership. The group work which occurred every day certainly gave me an opportunity to understand the thoughts and ideas from a diverse group of business owners, and reinforced my own thinking. I was nominated group leader for our living group (by management before our arrival) and this also provided me with a further opportunity to develop my leadership skills with a group of people who are individual leaders themselves.
The program consisted of approximately 150 people from all over the world, including 50 American, 30 Brazilian, 20+ Indian, 7 Australian and other business owners from Mexico, Denmark, Iceland, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, South America and Russia. I have been able to develop excellent connections with many of the group. The diversity of businesses present was amazing. with a strong presence of Internet based businesses, clean tech, private equity, manufacturing and professional services.
The academic staff (professors) are incredibly knowledgeable and they ensure that each lecture, based on the famous Harvard case study method, is interesting and memorable. Our Strategy Professor, David Yoffie is on the Board of Directors of Intel Corporation, HTC Corporation, Financial Engines Inc. and MindTree Ltd, and Leadership lecturer, Scott Snook, is an ex-West Point Army graduate whose military decorations are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Master Parachutist badge. During the program we were privileged to enjoy cocktails at Professor Yoffie’s house on a Sunday evening in Boston.
The Harvard facilities are truly amazing, and we have continued access to the Harvard library and research databases for the three year duration of our program. The accommodation on campus, whilst small, was comfortable with a large living area for group work and the meals and service were first class.
I managed to get a few runs in along the Charles River to relax and to look around the beautiful and historic Boston on a Sunday afternoon.
As the Founding President of the Industry Leaders Fund, and before Colin Peters supported the next generation of South Australian business people, Colin never go caught up in nostalgia surrounding the industry he spent his entire working life within. Instead, he was busy building future prosperity for the state.
Mr Peters was awarded a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia, predominantly for his years of service to the automotive manufacturing sector on 25 January, 2016.
He spent 40 years at Castalloy, ultimately becoming the company’s managing director. During this time the company became an industrial force, with an annual turnover of $600 million and 2500-strong workforce.
Mr Peters also held a variety of board positions, including national vice-president and state president of the Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers, chair of the SA Automotive Industry Advisory Board, and member of Austrade’s Automotive Export Advisory Board.
Given his background, you would be forgiven — and wrong — for thinking that Mr Peters was resentful of the auto industry’s departure from Australia.
“Anyone with any sense of economic reasoning would know that Australia is no longer a country where cars can be made,” he reminded those who would listen.
Through the Industry Leaders Fund and other connections he mentored and supported many aspiring and high achieving business leaders by mentoring and advising them.
He said “The future of SA won’t be found in a car factory in Elizabeth. The future is in innovation, and I’m very gung-ho about it — it’s fascinating and exciting to be a part of.”
Mr Peters’ citation also highlights his service to lacrosse in SA, through both the SA Lacrosse Association and North Adelaide Lacrosse Club.
How I became an Industry Leader Fund recipient
I have been aware of the Industry Leaders Fund (ILF) and its charter since it was founded. Anthony Kittel, who was a previous grant recipient, spoke very highly of the course he chose – The Harvard Business School Owner President Management Course (OPM). After expressing interest in the same course with Geoff Vogt of the ILF, it was suggested that I should apply as soon as possible to gain the maximum advantage from the course. This was something I was planning to do when I had the time and money, and business conditions were not so demanding, but after some careful consideration I soon realised that I could not afford to let the opportunity pass me by. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the ILF Board for awarding me a grant.
The application process
The on-line application process was straight forward. The questions targeted what the fund is all about: how you can be a better leader and provide benefits to the state of SA, the company you work for and yourself professionally. In my opinion, answering these questions only make you more determined to be successful. The final stage of the process is the interview with ILF Board members who themselves are leaders of industry. The question and answer session really enables you to articulate why the grant is so important to your leadership aspirations.
Why I chose the HBS Owner President Management course
Harvard Business School is recognised as the number one business school in the world. As I researched OPM, I discovered participants represent a broad range of industries and organisations, and hail from countries around the world. This global diversity not only empowers you to negotiate, compete, and conduct business across borders, but also maximises your exposure to successful business practices, and enables you to expand your professional network with accomplished business leaders worldwide. Based on my role in SAGE and the vision of how the company will grow, I felt that OPM was the best for me to strengthen my leadership.
About the course
OPM is designed with business owners and entrepreneurs in mind. The selection criteria are for those involved in running a business with revenue greater than $10 million, and a significant equity stake in the company. Presented as a three-week session each year over three years, OPM provides the skills, tools, and network you need to become a more accomplished leader.
What I learnt from the course
I have only completed the first three-week module of the nine weeks, but the experience was life changing in many ways. The OPM48 program had 168 participants from all over the world representing many different businesses from diverse industry sectors. The on-campus experience builds strong relationships as you study, attend class and socialise together. My living group consisted of seven other business owners from Russia, Mongolia, Singapore, Brazil, India, Portugal and the US. Using the proven HBS case study method, we would individually read the cases and then work as a group to answer questions and share opinions prior to attending the lectures.
The lectures are delivered by world class professors who are leaders in their respective fields of expertise. The importance of reading and having a deep understanding of each case study prior to the lecture is very important as you can be called upon to contribute at any time. It is the “showman” performance of the professor and the class participation that make for a great learning experience that is very enjoyable. The areas of study included Global Markets, Finance, Innovation, Talent Management, Negotiation, Marketing and Strategy.
The number one take away for me was the importance of getting your strategy right first and then creating a framework for execution in all areas of your business to achieve your goals.
The value of the contacts I made
It is amazing to share the OPM experience with so many like-minded peers who are all there to learn from the program to emerge as stronger leaders. I found the group inspirational in the common theme of investing in their futures by looking to capitalise on business opportunities and turning challenges into strategic advantage. I have already connected with a number of OPMers to look at business opportunities for SAGE, I look forward to the OPM alumni remaining connected.
The benefits to me personally
I would never have thought that after studying at TAFE over twenty years ago and running SAGE as a self-taught MD that I would ever experience Harvard Business School. The program has enabled me to reflect on my leadership and put in perspective what has worked in the past. By applying new knowledge and frameworks, I will be transformed into a more confident and stronger leader for the future.
The benefit to SAGE
The OPM experience could not have come at a better time in SAGE’s history. There are many challenges running a business in the current environment as the Australian economy transforms itself. As a leader, I will look to create a strategy that turns challenges into opportunities to enable a bright and prosperous future. Part of the OPM program (called OPM@work) is to create or transform a business using the Harvard framework. I have already selected a project and have started work on the strategic plan ready for module two in March 2015.
Plans to share knowledge
I am happy to share my experience of how the ILF grant has impacted on me both professionally and personally. In time, I hope to demonstrate the positive outcomes to SAGE as a direct result of the OPM program, and the benefit to the broader SA community and economy. Once again I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to the ILF for making this possible!
A flexible, tax-deductible way for individuals and businesses to invest in South Australia’s future leaders — through a one-off gift or a bequest, tailored to your own circumstances.
of contributions go to Scholars.
registered, tax-deductible.
As a registered Deductible Gift Recipient, 100% of every contribution goes directly to successful grant applicants — no administration fees taken out. Funding must go toward a course with a recognised Australian educational body, which may include an offshore component.
Considering a bequest? Discuss it with your adviser or contact us directly.