Tony Hasham AM
Tony is a proud Australian who was born in Tripoli Lebanon and immigrated to Australia at the age of 6 with his parents in the early fifties. Tony’s business and commercial skills were developed in the Retail, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic industries. After a brief (2yr) stint studying Medicine at Sydney University he joined Woolworths as an Executive Trainee and achieved Store Manager level.
However he had his sights set on bigger challenges so he joined the multinational pharmaceutical company, Upjohn and worked his way into management positions which led him to the senior role of Regional Manager South East Asia based in Hong Kong for 4yrs. Upon returning to Australia in 1980 Tony decided on a change and went into his own business manufacturing and marketing hair cosmetics for the salon industry. He built his company Joy Cosmetics Pty Ltd into the leading manufacturer of products under the “JOY” and “FINAL NET” brands. He sold the business in 1990 to the pharmaceutical giant, Bristol Meyers and continued to work with them in expanding the business in Australia and Asia.
In 1995 he joined the German company Schwarzkopf in Australia where he held the position of Regional Director, Asia Pacific and India with responsibility for 13 countries.
Tony took early retirement from Schwarzkopf in 2004 in order to devote more time to his family and the children’s charities that he supports. He maintains his involvement in the commercial world through his management consulting company Consumerlink Promotions Pty Ltd. He is a director of the media conglomerate Omnilab Media Pty Ltd and co-owns the family business The Beauty Warehouse Pty Ltd with his son Christian.
He has been involved in Variety the Children’s Charity for 25 yrs where he has held the Hon. Positions of National Chairman Australia and International Vice President on the International Board in New York. He travels all over the world and Australia at his own expense fulfilling his role. He is currently Hon. Treasurer of Variety Australia and International Vice President responsible for strategic planning for Variety International. His contribution to Variety over the years has been quite significant. He counts the establishment of the “Variety Bash” motoring event with Dick Smith as his proudest achievement. The event has raised since it’s inception in 1985 well over $100 million and continues to be the major fund raiser for Variety in Australia.
In the late 1970’s the use of illicit drugs in the Kings Cross area reached epidemic proportions and the late Rev.Ted Noffs of the Wayside Chapel decided to do something about it. Instead of trying to help young people after they became addicted he decided to provide drug and health education to young children in schools. He subsequently developed the Life Education drug and alcohol education program which has had 4 million Australian children exposed to it since inception in 1979.Tony first met Ted Noffs in 1985 and was soon helping Ted put more and more of the drug education mobile learning centers on the road. Ted suffered a tragic illness in 1987 and Tony was co-opted onto the NSW division of Life Education where he took on the role of Chairman for two years. He has been a director of Life Education Australia since 1992 and became Chairman of the national body in 2005.
Tony firmly believes that Life Education is the best non government provider of drug, alcohol and health education to children in schools. The organization currently has in excess of 700,000 children from all over Australia experience the Life Education program each year. It is Tony’s aim to increase this to 1 million by 2012.
Tony is married to Terri his wife of 41 yrs, has three children and three grandsons. He loves a game of Golf whenever his busy schedule allows.