Gavin Campbell (b. 1935) was the first managing director and chief executive officer of the Australian Stock Exchange, brought in in late 1988 to manage the federation of the six exchanges, cutting costs, trimming staff and centralising operations. Hugh Morgan had recommended recruiting a person from outside the exchange, to avoid accusations of bias. Campbell had been a chemical engineer in CSR for 34 years and had become a director of the company. Particularly alert to the advance of technology in the workplace, at ASX he insisted that everyone should be keyboard-literate, and foresaw SEATS electronic trading as the way of the future (ASX moved to full screen trading in 1990 and ‘trading floors’ became obsolete; it was the world’s first fully automated exchange trading environment). During Campbell’s tenure key staff were sacked or pensioned off and much was invested in software development and computer equipment. Having cut staff from 707 to 576, forced old hands to learn new skills, centralised the accounting system and amalgamated financial management, Campbell left ASX in 1994, worn down by his unpopularity and accusations that he knew nothing about the stock exchange. He was chairman of the Victorian Power Exchange Pty Ltd from 1994 to 1998, and director of National Electricity Code Administration Ltd from 1999 to 2003.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the Australian Securities Exchange 2012
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
© Estate of Bill Leak
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