Aberdeen Memorial Service Held for North Sea Oil Tycoon Sir Ian Wood
October 23, 2026
A memorial service for Sir lan Wood, Scottish industrialist, philanthropist and public servants, was held earlier today, Friday, October 23, in Aberdeen. It was attended by over 300 people, including Sir lan's immediate family, friends and former colleagues alongside senior figures from the worlds of business, politics and philanthropy.
The celebration of Sir lan's life took place in the MacRobert Hall of Robert Gordon's College, where he was educated before graduating from the University of Aberdeen with a first-class honors degree in psychology in 1964. Sir lan died peacefully on July 26 at the age of 84 at his home, surrounded by immediate family.
In 1967, Sir Ian became chairman and managing director of John Wood Group and served as CEO until 2006. He retired from chairman in 2012. His work with Wood Group mirrored the growth of the North Sea oil industry and helped the company expand from serving local markets to operating in over 50 countries.
In addition to his work in the oil industry, Sir Ian served as a director for the Royal Bank of Scotland from 1988-1997. Immediately after, until 2000, he chaired Scotland’s main economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise. In 2007, Sir Ian established The Wood Foundation, a philanthropist venture.
Sir Ian was knighted in 1994 and appointed to the Order of the Thistle in 2018. He held honorary doctorates from the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University (where he was appointed chancellor from 2004-2021), Glasgow Caledonian University, and Henriot-Watt University.
The service was compered by broadcaster Jackie Bird MBE and included tributes and readings from individuals who reflected on different aspects of Sir lan's life and career, including:
- Garreth and Graham, Sir lan's sons, on behalf of the Wood family.
- Jack Wood and Ezra Wood, who gave readings on behalf of all Sir lan's grandchildren.
- Graham Good, Head of the Family Office, who worked at Sir lan's side as a friend and colleague.
- Melinda French Gates, co-founder of The Giving Pledge, a global philanthropic initiative of which Sir lan became a signatory in 2015 (video tribute).
- Mike Straughen, a friend and colleague of many years who worked alongside Sir lan in senior leadership roles at Wood Group and served on the Board.
- David Knopp, who oversees The Wood Foundation's program across East Africa.
- His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, who has championed The Wood Foundation's initiatives in his country (video tribute).
- Alley Mathieson, Portlethen Academy pupil and volunteer for local charity Sarah's Sparkle, who has participated in The Wood Foundation's Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI).
- Rt. Hon. Michael Gove, Baron Gove of Torry, a fellow former pupil of Robert Gordon's College with whom Sir lan enjoyed a long friendship.
- Rt. Hon. John Swinney, First Minister of Scotland, who worked closely with Sir lan over the years, most notably on the commission on Developing the Young Workforce in Scotland (video tribute).
Sir Ian is survived by his wife, Helen, who he married in 1970, three sons and seven grandchildren.
