(Part One)
Reflections on what for me were some highlights working at the Australian HO of RIL in Sydney between 1957 / 1978, will hopefully interest readers wherever they may be.
Not long out of high school, I was interviewed for a clerical job by a Mr. Morris Pennell. This gentleman was the first Australian appointed to the newly created position of Deputy General Manager for Australia & New Zealand. A great shipping man, gruff in nature who understood what it was to be a good leader, he employed me! A man whose wisdom I have never forgotten and someone under whom I worked for some years. It was whilst he was for a period as Acting General Manager, that he suddenly fell ill and died soon afterwards.
On my very first day with RIL, it was suggested by a new colleague that, as I was a very small (alcohol) drinker, a good career in shipping was not assured. Happily on that score, such proved wrong! In those days and until the early 1960s when we moved nearby into the nearby and newly named INTEROCEAN HOUSE, we had for many years been located at 255 George Street in an old building with archaic conditions, owned by the meat company, William Angliss. Affectionally known to all as Cornedbeef Castle - but officially, Angliss House !
During my career, I had five General Managers-all of whom had worked for RIL in many parts of the world. Their names may be familiar to many of you : Adrian van Bochove, Pier de Loos, Herman Wever, Hans Sinninghe-Damste and Henk Roos. Each had their own and generally quite different individual management style. With the notable exception of only one - whom I and many others found to be misfitted for Australia - they all made a positive contribution overall to the company's betterment. It is interesting that aside from Hans, for some years after I left the company to join the ZIM ISRAEL NAVIGATION COMPANY, the new Chief Executives were all from the African area and in most cases were people I had met there or elsewhere.
In most of the period of my career we were, by far, in terms of ship sailings, the largest shipping company in Australia. Our Dutch representation particularly was widespread. Aside from RIL itself, we were responsible at one stage or another for: the VNS (Holland Australia Line), Mammoet, Royal Rotterdam Lloyd, Nederland Line, Holland America Line, Holland Bulk Transport, Safocean, Safmarine and Mercury Shipping.
All in all a wonderful organisation to work in and one greatly respected by the world at large. From time to time I will reflect on other interesting and conscious aspects of my career including on overseas business visits, close involvement with the maritime unions - including with the memorable, tough but fair late Tas Bull - and just other things which spring to mind.
Warwick
Abadee
Sydney,
October 2005