Sir Ian Wood

That the Parliament notes with deep sadness the death of Sir Ian Wood at the age of 84; extends its heartfelt condolences to his wife, sons, grandchildren, wider family, friends, colleagues and all who knew him; pays tribute to what it sees as Sir Ian’s exceptional contribution to Scotland as an industrialist, philanthropist and public-spirited business leader; recognises the central role that he played in the development of the North Sea oil and gas industry and in establishing Aberdeen and the north east of Scotland as a global centre for energy, engineering and innovation; acknowledges that, under his leadership, Wood Group grew from a family business into a major international company, supporting skilled employment and economic opportunity in Scotland and across the world; recognises his deep commitment to improving offshore safety following the Piper Alpha disaster; commends what it sees as his contribution to public policy through the Wood Review, which helped to shape the stewardship of the UK Continental Shelf and the creation of the North Sea Transition Authority; applauds his philanthropy through The Wood Foundation, Opportunity North East, the Energy Transition Zone and other charitable, educational and economic development initiatives, which reflected his belief in investing in people, communities and future generations; notes that he was appointed a Knight Bachelor in 1994 for services to the offshore oil and gas industry and received further honours in recognition of his service to business and public life; believes that Sir Ian’s legacy will endure through the organisations that he helped to build, the opportunities he helped to create and the many lives and communities that benefited from his generosity, vision and determination, and expresses its sincere gratitude for his lifetime of service to Aberdeen, the North East, Scotland and the UK..