Michael Chaney

Michael Alfred Chaney (born 15 April 1950) is an Australian businessman and former chancellor of the University of Western Australia.

Early life Chaney was born in Perth on 15 April 1950. He was the third-youngest of seven children born to Frederick Charles Chaney, who was a minister in the Menzies government and Lord Mayor of Perth. His brothers included Frederick Michael Chaney, who was a deputy leader of the Liberal Party, and John Chaney, a judge on the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

Chaney attended Aquinas College, Perth, and the University of Western Australia. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in geology in 1972 and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1980. The following year he announced that Wesfarmers had entered into a joint venture with Vietnamese firm Petrolimex for a liquefied petroleum gas plant in Vietnam, which was reportedly Wesfarmers' first major overseas investment. Chaney also oversaw Wesfarmers' acquisition of Bunnings and divestment of its Landmark rural finance business. He was a director of BHP from 1995 to 2005 and a member of the JPMorgan Chase International Council from 2004 to 2015.

Honours Chaney was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia on 14 June 2004 for service to the business sector through innovative leadership and management strategies, and to the community through involvement with and support for a broad range of artistic, cultural and scientific organisations.