CSL, from blood stock to blue chip

Abstract

Professor Ian Gust AO is a medical virologist with a distinguished career in public health including the development of vaccines against hepatitis A and human papillomavirus infection and membership of the International Task Force for Hepatitis B Immunisation which accelerated the introduction of HB vaccine into routine immunisation programs. During his 20 years at Fairfield Hospital he built an internationally renowned research team, founded and directed the Burnet Institute, established the National HIV reference laboratory and directed the NHMRC special unit for AIDS virology. During his subsequent period as R&D Director at CSL Ltd, he reorganised the research division and laid the basis for the company's new product portfolio. Ian is the author of three books, more than 300 papers and has received several major awards for his work. Since 'Retirement' in 2000, he has been appointed a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Melbourne and has been a board member of several biotech companies and a number of non profits including the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, International Vaccine Institute, ICDDR,b and the Human Vaccines project. From its modest beginning in 1916 with a staff of 20, CSL has grown into a major company, which now employs more than 25,000 people, operates in more than 70 countries and has a market capitalization of over A$130 billion.