Sir Ian Wood - (Wood Group)

Born and educated in Aberdeen, Ian Wood graduated from Aberdeen University in 1964 with a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology.

He is Chairman and Chief Executive of John Wood Group PLC, the UK's largest energy services company, employing more than 18,000 personnel in 41 countries worldwide, and with a revenue of $3.3 billion in 2006.

As well as his commitment to the Group, Sir Ian holds many appointments within the UK including Chancellor of The Robert Gordon University since 2004; and member of the SeaFar Group, who are studying the medium term prospects for Scotland's Fishing Industry. He has recently retired from membership of PILOT (joint Government/Oil & Gas Industry Initiative) and joint Chairman of the Oil and Gas Industry Leadership Team.

In December 2000 he retired as Chairman of Scottish Enterprise and as Chairman of the British Trade International Oil & Gas Export Board (previously OSO).

He received the award for Young Scottish Businessman of the Year in 1979, was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1982 in the New Year's Honours List, awarded an Honorary Degree of LL.D from Aberdeen University in 1984 and was awarded a Knighthood in the 1994 New Year's Honours List. In 1998 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of DBA from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

He was a joint winner of Scottish Business Achievement Award Trust in 1992; winner of the Service category award in the 1992 Corporate Elite Leadership Awards; received a Scotvec Fellowship Award in 1994 and Scottish Qualifications Authority Fellowship in 1997, and was awarded The Alick Buchanan-Smith Memorial Award for Personal Achievement in 1995. Sir Ian also received the Corporate Elite "World Player" Award from the Business Insider in 1996.

In 1998 he was made a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers; in March 2000 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and, in the year 2001, he received the Business Ambassador for Scotland Award from the Scottish Business Insider. In 2002 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Technology from Glasgow Caledonian University; he also received two awards from The Insider namely, the Business Achievement Award: Businessman; and the Insider Corporate Elite Leader of the Year Award. In 2003 he won the Chief Executive of the Year Award from the Business Insider/PriceWaterhouse Coopers, and the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Award for Business.