The family of Scottish businessman and philanthropist Sir Ian Wood have announced that he “died peacefully at home” in Aberdeen at the age of 84 on Sunday (July 26).
Born in Aberdeen on July 21, 1942, Sir Ian attended Robert Gordon's College and the University of Aberdeen, where he graduated in 1964 with a degree in psychology.
He joined the family fishing business, becoming managing director in 1967, and was responsible for transforming it from a relatively small operation to a huge multinational engineering and consulting business operating in over 50 countries.
He created the Wood Group in 1982 and served as chief executive until 2006 and chairman until 2012. By the time it was acquired by Dubai engineering firm Sidera it employed more than 35,000 people globally.
The success of the company resulted in Sir Ian becoming one of Scotland’s wealthiest men, with an estimated net worth of around £1.7 billion (2020
In 2007, Wood and his family set up The Wood Foundation, a philanthropic organisation dedicated to donating millions of pounds every year to “people, ideas and businesses with the potential to create lasting change” across Scotland and Africa.
Here are 16 fascinating quotes from Sir Ian.
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5. Sir Ian Wood on...his family's charitable work
"My family and I have always shared the view that, in this global world, we have an underlying responsibility for each other, whether our neighbour at home or wider humanity across the globe." | COMPLIMENTARY
6. Sir Ian Wood on...Bill Gates
"He’s quite an unusual man. He’s a very clever man, highly knowledgeable - talking on the subjects that really interest him, he’s great. But you can’t go up and say, ‘Good morning, Bill, how are you?’ — because he doesn’t do small talk.” | Contributed
7. Sir Ian Wood on...philanthropy
"I think you can probably do an awful lot better if you can make an awful lot of money – and give it away." | PAY PETER DEVLIN
8. Sir Ian Wood on...Scottish Independence
"I believe the debate should not be about nationalism, but growth and economic success, and the quality of life for citizens and all that goes with that. Against these measures, it’s very hard not to conclude the case is heavily weighted towards Scotland remaining in the UK and getting the best of both worlds – I want the best for future generations of Scots." | Iconic