Max Beck AM

Max Beck is the founder and major shareholder in the Becton Property Group.

Max began his career as a carpenter with a major Melbourne building group, Clements Langford, who built the landmark projects, Myer Emporium and the Spires on St Paul's Cathedral. During his apprenticeship, Max completed a Building Construction Diploma at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and gained experience in Clements Langford's purchasing and estimating departments.

At the age of 21, he formed his own contract construction business and, over the next 14 years, established the working practices and philosophies that have evolved into Becton's reputation of building the highest quality projects backed by a specialist management team.

In 1976, Max established Becton as a respected and highly successful property development, construction and investment company.

By the end of 1990, Becton was synonymous with Melbourne when it completed the construction of one of Melbourne's and Australia's most prestigious CBD developments, the historic $600 million. 333 Collins Street project.

To 2007, Becton had completed in excess of $5 billion in construction and development projects and had strategically diversified into student accommodation, resort style retirement living, coastal development, property funds management with over $3 billion under management, and helped establish Australia's first hotel branded timeshare holiday club.

Max retired from Becton in 2007.

Max has a long, active and distinguished involvement in charitable and community work.

In 1973 he was offered membership of the world wide Young Presidents' Organisation.

He was also on the inaugural Board of Directors of the Victorian Government's Melbourne Major Events Company Limited which has become the most important catalyst in securing sporting, recreational and cultural events for Melbourne and which has earned it the title of 'The Events City of the Nation'.

Max was instrumental in the negotiations to retain the World Cup Cricket Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1992 for the State Government.

He was founder and Chairman of the Melbourne Chapter of Children's International Summer Villages and was instrumental in organising the first International Village held in Melbourne in 1988 with 33 countries involved.

Max is a former board member of the Melbourne Neuromuscular Research Centre. He is a keen bike rider, sailor, skier, tennis player, and currently a very keen golf player. Max is a member of the following golf clubs:
Melbourne - Commonwealth, National, Moonah Links & Sorrento
Gold Coast - The Grand

He has been a board member of World Track Cycling and in September 2000 participated in a corporate bike ride from Melbourne to Sydney which raised over $250,000 for Open Family Australia. He has continued his on going support for Open Family by sponsoring a full-time youth worker, assisting young people to achieve their goals, or in just getting back on track.

He joined the Executive Committee for the Prime Minister's Olympic Dinner in 1996 and served as Chairman from 2001 to 2008. The Prime Minister's Olympic Dinner held in Melbourne raised more than $10 million for Australia's athletes for their preparation and participation in the Olympic Games, as well as setting a new standard for Olympic Fund raising events and showcasing our Olympic Track cyclists. He was a member for three years of the main board for the 1996 Melbourne Olympic Bid and was Chairman of the Accomodation and Venue Commission for the Melbourne Olympic Bid.

He is a member of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.

He partnered the YMCA to establish the Malmsbury Prisoners Employment Rehabilitation Program which assists offenders in finding employment when they rejoin the community.

In 2001, Max committed his expertise to the Board of Directors of two Melbourne hospitals; The Royal Women's and the Royal Children's.

In 2003 as Chairman of the Redevelopment Committee for the Royal Women's Hospital, Max was a key player in the successful case for a new $350 million hospital.

He was appointed Deputy Chair of the Royal Children's Hospital in 2004.

In 2005 as Chairman of the Development Committee for the Royal Children's Hospital, Max was intimately involved in securing State Government commitment for the commencement of a new $1 billion facility to start construction in 2008.

He is also committed to many other community and other charity organisations and sponsors community, recreational and charitable activities and fundraising events, as well as financially supporting leading Australian Olympians.

Max is a partner in Melbourne's No.2 Airport, at Essendon, with the Fox family. On the land adjoining the Essendon Airport, they are creating a new master planned business community, comprising retail, new automotive retail, and a major office development, at what is the best located site for business in Melbourne, now known as Essendon Fields.

He received the Ernst & Young award of Master Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur of the Year 2001, Victoria.

Max was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 for outstanding service to the building and construction industries.

In June 2006, Max was awarded The Member of the Order of Australia (AM) medal for his services to the construction and property development industries and to the community through fund raising and executive roles in a range of organisations and charities.

March 2009, Max was appointed by the Premier and Christine Nixon to Chair the Victorian Bushfire Advisory Reconstruction Board for the Black Saturday Bushfires.

April 2009 Max was awarded Life Membership status with the Victorian Olympic Council.

May 2009 received an Order of Merit from the Australian Olympic Committee.

Max was married in 1967 to wife Lorraine who has supported him throughout his career. They have 4 children, Sam, Nick, Carla and Ben and seven grandchildren (at the last count!).