Celebrating the Life and the Legend
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart we share that our much-loved and highly respected former Chairman, John Rubino, passed away in Perth on Monday morning surrounded by his loved ones.
John touched so many lives, and many of us have been lucky enough not only to work with him but to also call him a friend. The impact John had on so many is unlike anything else, and he will be deeply missed.
This is a very sad time for John’s family, and for many of our team who have worked with him over the last 30 years at Monadelphous. Our thoughts are with the entire Rubino family, and John’s many friends around the world.
Calogero Giovanni (John) Battista Rubino was born in Delia, a small agricultural town in Sicily, Italy, on 26 June 1945.
The only son, with three younger sisters, John made the tough decision to leave his tight knit family in Italy at the age of 21 in search of adventure, arriving in Australia on 6 September 1966 with two mates and just $300 in his pocket.
From 1966 to 1970 John worked throughout the country, gaining experience in a range of roles across the structural and civil sectors, from rigging and surveying, right through to project management. Eventually basing himself in Western Australia, John found himself even further from home, in Kununurra, appointed as the site manager on the Ord River Dam project.
Here John began building his empire. In partnership with three great friends, John formed Rubino and Company, which later became the successful United Construction Group (today, United Group Limited). So reflective of the way John did business, the United partnership was built on a trusting handshake with no signed agreement between them. All four were equal partners from the outset with John Trettel, Sam Castelli, Charlie Bontempo and John ending up working successfully together for more than 26 years.
In 1987, John and his partners bought into Monadelphous, only to discover the Company was insolvent. He went on to describe this as the ‘best mistake he ever made’. With an initial six-month commitment to stand in as Monadelphous’ Chairman and Managing Director, John ended up leading the Company for more than 30 years.
Under John’s exceptional leadership, Monadelphous’ fortunes turned around. The Company became a place where people were proud to come and work, that suppliers had confidence in, and that customers knew and respected.
During John’s time at the helm, Monadelphous was trusted with the construction and maintenance of some of the largest and most complex projects and facilities across Australia, as well as internationally. This includes projects with BHP, Rio Tinto, Woodside, Chevron, Shell, Origin, INPEX, Newcrest, South32 and Codelco, amongst others.
The Company John helped build has grown to employ more than 8,000 people across its operations in Australia, China, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines, and it has reached a market capitalisation of more than $2.5 billion, even entering the ASX100 in 2013.
John’s business acumen was breathtaking, and his ability to form long-term trusting and mutually rewarding relationships is the stuff of legend. With his thick Sicilian accent and his cracking sense of humour, John was a born leader, with enormous charisma, and an ability to inspire people like no other. A mentor to many, he was incredibly generous and a winner fair and square. He was the best kind of winner, because when John won, everyone around him won.
It goes without saying though that John’s proudest achievement of all is much closer to home, his family – his beloved wife, three daughters and grandchildren.
John’s memory will always be present in our corridors and in the stories of our people.
We will continue to do you proud, John.
To share your condolences, you can send a message here.
