Ian Wood

Ian Clark Wood was born in Aberdeen on 21 July 1942. He was educated at Robert Gordon's College, and then the University of Aberdeen, where he studied psychology and graduated in 1964.

Chancellor of Robert Gordon University

Wood spent 16 years as Chancellor of Robert Gordon University, stepping down in 2021. In 2010, Donald Trump was awarded an honorary degree from the university. This provoked considerable opposition and the degree was removed after Dr David Kennedy returned his own degree in protest and journalist/campaigner Suzanne Kelly's petition opposing the award was signed by approximately 80,000 people, who felt Trump's behaviour was contrary to RGU's values.

After leaving university he joined the family business, becoming managing director in 1967. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1982 New Year Honours and was knighted in the 1994 New Year Honours. He was appointed to the Order of the Thistle, Scotland's highest order of chivalry, in 2018.

Wood was awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Aberdeen in 1984, Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen in 1998, Glasgow Caledonian University in 2002, and Heriot-Watt University in 2012. He served as chancellor of Robert Gordon University from 2004.

In April 2010, Aberdeen City Council accepted his conditional investment of up to £85m (£50m confirmed, £35m pledged should the project exceed its budget), towards a £140m project to redesign Union Terrace Gardens. The project was supported by some local businesses though opposed by many local residents. The Union Terrace Gardens project was supported in a referendum but later rejected by the council.

In July 2012, Wood announced that he would retire as chairman of Wood Group, with Allister Langlands as his successor.

In 2014, Wood had a net worth of £1.32 billion. Wood was chairman of The Wood Foundation, investing in two areas of activity: making markets work for the poor in sub-Saharan Africa and developing young people in Scotland. The Foundation applies the principles of venture philanthropy, investing both money and expertise to achieve systemic change.

Wood was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to the oil and gas industry. In June 2018, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT) in the 2018 Birthday Honours.

According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2020, Wood was worth an estimated £1.7 billion, a decrease of £54 million on the previous year.

Wood was a key player in the establishment of Aberdeen's Energy Transition Zone (ETZ), which involved the development of land in and around Torry to support renewable energy production at the city's south harbour, establishing the company ETZ Ltd. in 2021 to oversee the project. In October 2024, a group of local people mounted a legal challenge to ETZ Ltd.'s proposals, which will result in the loss of St. Fittick's Park, an area of environmental value and historic importance formerly zoned as green belt. The petition was refused by the Inner House of the Court of Session in May 2025

Wood had three sons with his wife Helen, and six grandchildren. They had homes in Aberdeen and at Loch Tummel, Perthshire. He died in Aberdeen on 26 July 2026, aged 84.