John Parker (businessman)

Sir John Parker GBE FREng
Parker in 2011
Born	8 April 1942 County Down, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British

Sir Thomas John Parker, GBE, FREng (born 8 April 1942) is a British businessman. He is currently Chairman of Anglo American PLC and Ombu Group, and a Director of Airbus Group and Carnival Corporation & plc. He is also past President of the Royal Academy of Engineering,^[1] patron at the Centre for Process Innovation and a Visiting Fellow of the University of Oxford. Sir John has chaired five FTSE 100 companies, including National Grid plc, from which he stood down in December 2011. He was born into a farming family in County Down, Northern Ireland.

Early life

He attended Belfast College of Technology (since 1991 called Belfast Metropolitan College). In 1958, at age 17, he joined Harland and Wolff as an apprentice naval architect (engineer). At Queen's University Belfast he was awarded a DSc (Hons) degree in Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture.

Career

• 1958-1963 Apprenticeship at Harland & Wolff
• 1963-1974 Member of ship design team at Harland & Wolff
• 1974-1978 Managing Director of Austin & Pickersgill (A&P)
• 1978-1983 Deputy Chief Executive of Board of the British Shipbuilders Corporation
• 1983–1993 Chairman and Chief Executive of Harland and Wolff
• 1983-1986 Non-Executive Director of Industrial Development Board of Northern Ireland
• 1983-1986 Non-Executive Director of British Coal Corporation
• 1993-2002 Non-Executive Director of GKN plc
• 1993–2000 Chief Executive of Babcock International Group
• 1994–2000 Chairman and Chief Executive of Babcock International Group
• 1997-2000 Non-Executive Director of British Gas
• 26 August 1999-3 February 2003 Chairman of Firth Rixson Limited
• 2000-2003 Non-executive Director and subsequently Deputy Chairman of P&O Princess Cruises plc
• 2000–2002 Chairman of Lattice Group
• 2000–present Director of Carnival plc
• 2001-2003 Non-Executive Director of Brambles Industries plc
• 2002-2005 Chairman of RMC Group, leading its sale to Cemex of Mexico in 2005
• 21 October 2002–31 December 2011 Chairman of National Grid plc
• 2003–present Non-Executive Director of Carnival Corporation
• 2005-2006 Chairman of P&O
• 2006-2011 Chancellor of the University of Southampton
• May 2007–2015 Director and Vice-Chairman of DP World
• 2007–present Non-Executive Director of Airbus Group
• July 2008 Non-executive Chairman of BVT Surface Fleet.
• July 2009–present Chairman of Anglo American PLC.
• April 2011–present Non-executive Chairman of Ombu Group
• 2011-2014 President of the Royal Academy of Engineering
• 2011-2014 Member of the Prime Ministers Committee of Science & Technology (CST)
• August 2015–present Chairman of Pennon Group PLC.

Recognition

He was knighted for services to defence and shipbuilding in 2001.^[2][3][4] He was also the Chancellor of the University of Southampton,^[3] from 2006 to 2011,^[5] as well as being a governor of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.^[3] Other appointments have included membership of the Prime Minister's Business Council for Britain^[6] and non-executive director at the Bank of England.^[7] He was President of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects from 1996–9. In 2012, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), for services to Industry and to the Voluntary Sector.^[8][9] He was conferred with Honorary Fellowship of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland in 2012. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1983.^[1] He was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in 2014.^[10]

Personal life

Married Emma, a former Latin teacher and pianist in 1967; two children: Graham, an artist and writer, and Fiona, an environmental scientist; two grandchildren. Emma graduated in Latin and Psychology at Queens University Belfast. She has a love of literature and is a keen pianist, chorister and gardener. In addition, she keeps a watchful eye on three grandsons (aged 13, 11 and five) who live nearby in Devon and a fourth grandson (three) who lives in Pennsylvania (USA). Sir John’s recreational pursuits include reading, music and sailing (Member of the Royal Yacht Squadron).

References

1. "List of Fellows".
2. THE LONDON GAZETTE SATURDAY 30 DECEMBER 2000 SUPPLEMENT No. 1
3. "Profile: Sir John Parker, National Grid chairman". London: The Telegraph. 20 February 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
4. Stiff, Peter (25 August 2008). "Business big shot: Sir John Parker, Chairman of National Grid". London: The Times. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
5. "CBI president to be next Chancellor of the University of Southampton". University of Southampton. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
6. "Business Council for Britain". UK Government. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
7. "Bank of England – The Court of Directors". "Bank of England". Retrieved 20 January 2009.
8. THE LONDON GAZETTE SATURDAY 16 JUNE 2012 SUPPLEMENT No. 1
9. http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_202133.pdf
10. "Honorary Fellows". The Institution of Engineering and Technology. Retrieved January 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)

External links

Board Profiles:

• Anglo American Chairman Profile
• Ombu Group Chairman Profile
• DP World Vice Chairman Profile
• EADS Director Profile
• Carnival Corporation & plc Director Profile
• Royal Academy of Engineering President Profile
• University of Oxford Visiting Fellow Profile
• Defence Academy

Articles:

• Sir John Parker: how to engineer Britain's industrial revival, The Guardian, 4 June 2012
• Sir John Parker: tough man from the farm, FT.com, 21 April 2011
• Interview: Super chairman Sir John Parker, This is Money, March 2011
• Sir John Parker: 'A man you want on your side, and not one to cross', The Independent, 10 January 2010
• Sir John Parker holds the key to tackling Anglo American's weakness, The Guardian, 15 October 2009
• Profile: Sir John Parker, National Grid chairman, The Telegraph, 18 February 2008