Sir Ian Wood, GBE, KT, is a Scottish businessman, the billionaire Founder of John Wood Group PLC (Wood Group, LSE: WG.) (former), a major global oilfield services and engineering company. His wealth is rooted in the essential energy sector and maritime industry. Born and educated in Aberdeen, Scotland, he graduated from Aberdeen University in 1964 with a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology.

Wood's career began in the family business, which was a local marine engineering and fishing business founded by his grandfather, William Wood, in 1912. His strategic vision was audacious: pivot the company from fishing into oilfield services, recognizing the immense opportunity in the burgeoning North Sea oil industry in the 1960s.

Sir Ian Wood successfully executed the pivot, forming an alliance to provide offshore oil rig support in 1973, and formally establishing John Wood Group PLC as a dedicated oil and gas services company in 1982. He served as CEO from 1970 to 2007 and Chairman until 2012, guiding the company through its massive transformation from a local firm to an international oil & gas services contractor.

His structural contribution is tied to his role in shaping the North Sea oil support sector and driving the company's global expansion (spanning upstream exploration, midstream pipelines, LNG facilities, and downstream refineries). He retired from the company in 2012 and established the Wood Foundation in 2007, applying venture philanthropic principles to support Scottish young people and economic development in East Africa. He holds a Knight Grand Cross (GBE) and is a major figure in the Scottish economy.

• John Wood Group PLC (Wood Group) (Founder): The former core asset, a major global provider of oilfield services, engineering, and energy infrastructure (sold majority stake).
• Strategic Pivot: His success is built on his visionary shift from fishing/marine engineering to North Sea oilfield services.
• The Wood Foundation (Founder & Chairman): The philanthropic vehicle focused on youth development in Scotland and sustainable market opportunities in East Africa.
• Civic Honors: He is a Knight Grand Cross (GBE) and a Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (KT).

Sir Ian Wood's social impact is massive and structural, tied to Wood Group's role in supporting global oil and gas production and infrastructure development. His founding of the Wood Foundation provides a massive structural contribution to Scottish economic development and poverty alleviation in East Africa through venture philanthropic principles.

His structural contribution is tied to his role as Chairman of Opportunity North East (ONE), an organization established by the private sector to broaden and boost the economy of the North East of Scotland.

Sir Ian Wood maintains the distinguished, traditional style of a Scottish industrialist and philanthropist. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits and sometimes traditional Scottish attire. His aesthetic reflects his stability and immense civic authority.

Residing in Aberdeen, Scotland, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to global energy services, engineering excellence, and his profound commitment to Scottish and East African development.