The family of the late James Strong, one of Australia’s top business figures and a former boss of Qantas, have paid tribute to a ‘‘beautiful man’’ who will be ‘‘profoundly missed by many’’.
Mr Strong’s family said he passed away peacefully in Sydney yesterday from lung complications following surgery.
‘‘The family appreciates your thoughts at this difficult time and would like to thank the staff at the Mater Hospital for their care,’’ Mr Strong’s wife, Jeanne-Claude, and his sons Nick and Sam said in a statement.
He was chief executive and managing director of Qantas from 1993 until 2001, chairman of Insurance Australia Group between 2001 and 2010, and, as well as holding senior roles with Woolworths, Rip Curl and Kathmandu, a former chairman of the Australia Council for the Arts.
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Mr Strong’s extensive experience saw him appointed chairman of the Australian Institute of Company Directors in November, and remained as a non-executive director of Qantas since 2006.
During his time as chairman of Woolworths for 11 years until November 2012, the supermarket chain’s share price more than tripled in value as annual sales doubled to almost $57 billion.
Mr Strong’s passion for the arts and sport also saw him serve as a director of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and Opera Australia.
In 2006, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to business, commerce and the arts.
At IAG, Mr Strong developed a reputation for unorthodoxy when, as the chairman of the board of the insurance group, he had his fellow board members sign undated resignation letters. But they were apparently never used.
Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber paid tribute to Mr Strong on Twitter last night, writing that he was "sorry to hear the news that James Strong has passed away".
"He was very special towards my junior racing career. Great guy. Will be missed."
V8 Supercars Championship said in a statement today that their chairman "James leaves an indelible mark on the business world in his lifetime of work across corporate Australia as a humble and esteemed businessman".
Mark Scott, the managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, wrote on Twitter that Mr Strong was a "captain of industry, advocate for the arts, adventurer, gentleman, and wonderful bow-ties".
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Former Qantas chief Strong dies