Australian Media Puzzle over Millionaire’s Decision to Leave Business for Church Service

During April General Conference Elder Peter Meurs, 59, of Australia was called to be a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In accepting this call, Elder Meurs resigned from his lucrative position as an executive director for Fortescue Metals Group, an Australian mining company. The sacrifice bewildered his countrymen.

Elder Meurs has had plenty of experience in Church service, having been a branch president, bishop, stake president and Area Seventy, but he was able to fill these various positions while pursuing his career.

According to the Deseret News,

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Elder Meurs is a mechanical engineer who developed oil and gas fields and then became a founding partner of Worley Parsons Limited, an international engineering services and project management company.

Six years ago, he left Worley Parsons to join Fortescue Metals as the heir apparent to the company’s CEO. A different executive eventually won that job, but Elder Meurs stayed at Fortescue and led a $9 billion expansion project.

He was serving an executive for exploration and business development at the time of his call. His resignation was effective Monday.[/quote_box_center]

Elder Meurs is still a major shareholder in the corporation, which should see him through his future years of service. He initially will rotate through the Church’s many departments before being assigned to one.

Elder Meurs has been known in the business world for his innovative ideas and for building an open, family atmosphere in the workplace. Fortescue is well-known for sponsoring initiatives that promote civil conversation and problem solving. In 2014 the company helped bring together international religious leaders like Pope Francis to sign a 2014 joint declaration against human trafficking, prostitution and modern slavery.

See some articles from the Australian media at the following links:

Sydney Herald: “Fortescue Metals Group loses Peter Meurs to the Mormons”

Sky News Australia: “Meurs quits Fortescue for Mormon church”

Australian Mining: “Peter Meurs quits FMG to join the Mormons”