Angophora's Background
Guido’s father, Franco Belgiorno-Nettis, founded Transfield Pty Ltd with his business partner, Carlo Salteri, in the mid-1950s. By the mid-1990s it had become one of Australia’s largest and most successful engineering, construction, and engineering services companies, delivering iconic projects such as the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Anzac naval ships, Brisbane Airtrain, Melbourne CityLink, Sydney Airport Rail Link, and Walsh Bay Redevelopment Project.
In the late 1990s Guido was responsible for the engineering and construction operations for Transfield Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Prior to this he was responsible for Transfield’s Project Development (Australia and Asia), which set the direction for many of the iconic projects mentioned above.
Guido held the position of Managing Director of Transfield Pty Ltd from 1999 to April 2007. His involvement in developing complex infrastructure projects as part of Transfield Holdings Pty Ltd in the 1990s saw him play a key role in the development of the operations and maintenance division with complementary asset ownership, which ultimately became Transfield Services.
Guido has been Chairman of the Australian Chamber Orchestra since 1999. He was a Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW from 2007, and became President of the Gallery in 2013 until 2015. He is a former director of Transurban Limited, Charter Hall Limited, Campus Living Funds Management Limited, Transfield Services Limited, the Transfield Foundation, and former Chairman of the Novatec Solar Gmbh. Guido is also a member of the Australia Graduate School of Management (AGSM) Advisory Committee, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (Aust).
Guido was awarded the AGSM Distinguished Alumni Award for leadership and innovation in business in 2005. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2007 for services to the construction industry and the arts in executive and philanthropic roles, and in 2008 he received the University of New South Wales Alumni Award for outstanding contribution to the profession and the community. Guido is the 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Sailing Champion, the recipient of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Idris Cup (2012 Yachtsman of the year), and former President of Farr 40 Australia.
The Belgiorno-Nettis family sold out of the Transfield Construction business in 2003 to John Holland/Leighton Group. In 2001, Transfield listed its engineering services company as Transfield Services Ltd (TSE) on the ASX and remained a major shareholder until 2015 when it sold its last shares and retrieved the Transfield brand name.
From 2003 to 2015 Transfield focused on private equity investments. During that time Transfield and its partners developed a number of businesses including Charter Hall, Campus Living Villages, Perisher Ski Resort, as well as other investments in renewable energy. Transfield also retains its ownership share in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and a number of real-estate assets.
Guido and Luca Belgiorno-Nettis remain Managing Directors of Transfield Holdings where the majority of the family’s capital is invested. Guido holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) from the University of New South Wales and an MBA from AGSM.
A history of Transfield can be found here.