Glen Renfrew
Global Business leader
Inducted 28 November 2007
Glen McGarvie Renfrew was born in Aberdare in 1928, the tenth child of a coal miner who had left the pit to become a lay preacher for a Gospel Church. Glen studied modern languages at Sydney University, graduating in 1947. He spent some time working on the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme, before travelling overseas.
In 1952 Glen joined Reuters, the international news agency, as a trainee journalist, and began his lifelong career.
Until 1959, Glen was assigned to a series of postings to develop commercial services in South Africa, South-East Asia and Belgium. The next decade took Glen to Singapore, and then to Brussels again to oversee the development of Reuters services for South East Asia and the Common Market countries respectively. He gained further experience with the development of computer based and economic services.
Glen spent the 1970s as Manager of Reuters North America before being appointed to lead the company in 1981 as Chief Executive, Reuters Ltd (only the seventh chief in the 154 year history of the company).
As leader of the organisation, Glen oversaw its transformation into a major supplier of real-time financial information delivery. He managed the first simultaneous transatlantic public float, achieving global recognition for Reuters, and very considerable gains for shareholders and staff.
In 1991 Glen retired to Bermuda. Glen died aged 77, in England in 2006.
For more information:
- Read the Sydney Morning Herald article on Glen Renfrew.
- Read The Guardian article on Glen Renfrew.
Plaque location
105 Vincent Street, Cessnock (garden bed)