Our Patron

Mr David Klingberg AO

David Klingberg is in the third phase of a career as one of South Australia's most prominent business leaders.

He graduated from a University of South Australia predecessor institution as a Civil Engineer and his engineering career spanned 34 years with Kinhill Engineers, where he played a major role in developing a small, Adelaide-based group into one of the largest and most successful firms of professional engineers in Australia and South East Asia.

On his retirement from Kinhill in 1998, David was appointed Chancellor of the University of South Australia and over the next decade played a significant governance role overseeing the new institution's rapid growth. He also served as inaugural Chair of the national Universities Chancellors Council for three years.

David is now a professional company director and currently Chairman of Centrex Metals Limited and Barossa Infrastructure Limited. He is a Director of Codan Limited, E&A Limited and Snowy Hydro Limited as well as a Patron of the Cancer Council of South Australia.

His former roles include 9 years as a Board member with St Andrew's Hospital, and he recently retired as Chair of the Premier's Climate Change Council.

In 2009 David was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contributions to Governance policy in the tertiary education sector and to commercial and economic development and infrastructure projects.

He also received a Centenary Medal for services to civil and mining engineering and in 2008 was named Australian Professional Engineer of the Year. The University of South Australia awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2009.

Members of the Trustees of the Foundation are thrilled that Mr Klingberg is able to provide his time and support to the Foundation as its new Patron.