John Bertrand AO (b. 1946) is a successful yachtsman, Olympian, sports administrator, businessman and philanthropist. Bertrand came to the attention of the Australian public when he captained Australia II, representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club, to win the America's Cup in 1983; the first time in the yacht race's 132-year history that it was not won by the New York Yacht Club. With the nation celebrating the historic win, the then Prime Minister Bob Hawke quipped, 'Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum'. Excelling at sailing from his teens, Bertrand represented Australia in the one-person dinghy (Finn class) events at the 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal Olympics, with his best performance securing a bronze medal at Montreal. He continues to act as a mentor for young aspiring Olympians. With a sailing career that has spanned decades, Bertrand has won multiple world championships, his most recent in 2016 in the Etchell class, and led Australia’s efforts in five America's Cup campaigns. From 2002 to 2017 Bertrand was Chair of the Board of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, a charity and advocacy organisation established to keep children safe from violence. He was president of Swimming Australia for seven years (stepping down in October 2020); he has been a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Board since 2004 and Chair since 2005. A Monash University alumnus, Bertrand was appointed a Vice Chancellor's Professorial Fellow, and established the university's John Bertrand Leadership Series for postgraduate students and alumni.
