Steve Killelea
Encyclopedia
Stephen Killelea
AM is an Australia
n IT entrepreneur. He began his career, after doing a crash course in computing and working for a computer manufacturer, by developing a product for computer systems management that became internationally successful and led him to set up a US company, Software Products, that went public.
In August 1988, Killelea formed the Australian company Integrated Research, which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange
in 2000. The company's main business is systems management for international corporations such as Visa
, Mastercard
and American Express
; the New York, London and Hong Kong stock exchanges; and most of the world's ATM
s. Having stepped down as chief executive November 2004, he is still chairman of the company that now branches into the field of internet telephony. Killelea also has an IT venture capital fund.
He set up the Charitable Foundation in 2000, which is one of Australia's biggest private overseas aid providers, spending over five million A$
in 2008.
Killelea is the creative force behind the Global Peace Index
study, launched in May 2007, that attempts to rank the world's nations’ and regions’ peacefulness. The Index is endorsed by the Dalai Lama
, Desmond Tutu
and Jimmy Carter
. He is the founder of the Institute for Economics and Peace
which is "analysing the impact of peace on sustainability, defining the 'Peace Industry', estimating the value of peace to the world economy, and uncovering the social structures and social attitudes that are at the core of peaceful societies". He is also notable as being Australia's largest individual donor to overseas aid. He also sits on the advisory board of the Alliance for Peacebuilding
.
In 2008, Killelea was the producer and chief financier for the documentary Soldiers of Peace, which was shown at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
, where it received The Club of Budapest
World Ethic Film Award. The documentary also won Best Feature Film at the Monaco International Film Festival
.
In June 2010, Steve Killelea was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
for his service to the community through the global peace movement and the provision of humanitarian aid to the developing world
Killelea
Killelea is an Irish surname found originally in County Galway, documented from Elizabethan times at least. The current spelling is an Anglicization of an older Irish Gaelic form, probably Mac Giolla Leigh or Mac Giolla Leith...
AM is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n IT entrepreneur. He began his career, after doing a crash course in computing and working for a computer manufacturer, by developing a product for computer systems management that became internationally successful and led him to set up a US company, Software Products, that went public.
In August 1988, Killelea formed the Australian company Integrated Research, which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange
Australian Stock Exchange
The Australian Securities Exchange was created by the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange in July 2006. It is the primary stock exchange group in Australia....
in 2000. The company's main business is systems management for international corporations such as Visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
, Mastercard
MasterCard
Mastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
and American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
; the New York, London and Hong Kong stock exchanges; and most of the world's ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s. Having stepped down as chief executive November 2004, he is still chairman of the company that now branches into the field of internet telephony. Killelea also has an IT venture capital fund.
He set up the Charitable Foundation in 2000, which is one of Australia's biggest private overseas aid providers, spending over five million A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
in 2008.
Killelea is the creative force behind the Global Peace Index
Global Peace Index
The Global Peace Index is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations' and regions' peacefulness. It is the product of Institute for Economics and Peace and developed in consultation with an international panel of peace experts from peace institutes and think tanks with data collected...
study, launched in May 2007, that attempts to rank the world's nations’ and regions’ peacefulness. The Index is endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
, Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
and Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. He is the founder of the Institute for Economics and Peace
Institute for Economics and Peace
The Institute for Economics and Peace , chaired by entrepreneur Steve Killelea, is a global non-profit research organization headquartered in Sydney, Australia with a branch in New York...
which is "analysing the impact of peace on sustainability, defining the 'Peace Industry', estimating the value of peace to the world economy, and uncovering the social structures and social attitudes that are at the core of peaceful societies". He is also notable as being Australia's largest individual donor to overseas aid. He also sits on the advisory board of the Alliance for Peacebuilding
Alliance for Peacebuilding
Alliance for Peacebuilding is a 501 non-profit membership organization based in Washington, DC. The stated mission of the Alliance for Peacebuilding is to build sustainable peace and security worldwide...
.
In 2008, Killelea was the producer and chief financier for the documentary Soldiers of Peace, which was shown at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, where it received The Club of Budapest
Club of Budapest
The Club of Budapest is an international organization founded in 1993 by Ervin Laszlo to expand beyond the exclusively scientific purpose of The General Evolution Research Group to try to mobilize the full cultural resources of humanity to meet the challenges we face.-Club's mission:“The Club of...
World Ethic Film Award. The documentary also won Best Feature Film at the Monaco International Film Festival
Monaco International Film Festival
The Monaco International Film Festival, one of the premiere European film festivals, is an annual international special interest film festival held in Monaco. It is a non-profit organization, formed in December 2003. The festival focuses on Non-Violent films, screening productions from around the...
.
In June 2010, Steve Killelea was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for his service to the community through the global peace movement and the provision of humanitarian aid to the developing world