International yachtsman, businessman, and philanthropist, John Bertrand skippered Australia II to a historic victory over the US team Liberty, clinching the 1983 America’s Cup. This victory, hailed by the Confederation of Australian Sport as the 'greatest team performance in 200 years of Australian sport,' ended 132 years of American dominance—the longest-running streak in modern sporting history.
Over his 25-year international competition career, John competed in five America’s Cups and two Olympic Games, earning the title of triple world sailing champion.
His academic achievements include a Master of Science from MIT, a Mechanical Engineering Honours degree from Monash University, and an Honorary Doctorate from Victoria University. He is also a Vice Chancellor Professorial Fellow at Monash University.
As an entrepreneur, John built successful ventures in the marine industry, property development, and media, including co-founding and launching a digital media company on NASDAQ in the United States.
From 2013 to October 2020, John served as chairman and president of Swimming Australia, aiming to make the organisation the world's best in all aspects. Under his leadership, the Australian Olympic swim team underwent a remarkable transformation, going from a single gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics to winning nine gold medals in Tokyo 2020, accounting for over half of the entire Olympic team's gold medals.
John currently serves as chairman of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and continues to mentor aspiring Olympians and business entrepreneurs.
