North-east entrepreneur Sir Ian Wood has gained further recognition for an outstanding contribution to business and commerce in Scotland.
The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) awarded Sir Ian, who was until recently chairman of Aberdeen-based energy service giant Wood Group, one of its coveted royal medals.
Scotland’s foremost scientific body said Sir Ian and fellow royal medal winners Sir John Cadogan and Professor Michael Ferguson had all made outstanding contributions.
Sir John and Prof Ferguson were honoured for their impact on science and Sir Ian for his role in building Wood Group into a multibillion-pound international business, plus his “work in broader public life”. RSE added: “Sir Ian Wood is one of the country’s most distinguished and successful business leaders and enjoys the respect of both Scottish and UK governments at the highest levels.”
The organisation highlighted Sir Ian’s many achievements with Wood Group, his chancellorship of Robert Gordon University and key roles at various stages of his career with bodies such as Scottish Enterprise, the British Trade International Oil and Gas Export Board, Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and Scottish Economic Council.
The royal medal also recognised the many good causes Sir Ian and the Wood Family Trust have supported over the years.
His latest accolade adds to an already long list of honours and lifetime achievement awards, a knighthood, honorary degrees and RSE fellowship.
Also among the winners in the latest round of the RSE’s annual awards recognising significant achievement was Aberdeen University English literature professor David Hewitt, who received the Sir Walter Scott medal for his work on the Edinburgh edition of Scott’s Waverley Novels.
Awards for people showing “great potential” in their early careers included one for Neil McLennan, quality improvement officer at Aberdeen City Council and president of the Scottish Association of Teachers of History.
RSE said Mr McLennan’s accolade was for his outstanding contribution to civic society, creativity, social enterprise, education and the social sciences.