Sir Ian Wood, Scottish oil billionaire and philanthropist, dies at 84
Sir Ian Wood, the Aberdeen‑born founder and former chief executive of the Wood Group, died peacefully at his home on 27 July 2026 at the age of 84. He built the company from a small family fishing‑boat repair yard into a global energy‑services firm valued at more than £5 billion, playing a pivotal role in the growth of the North Sea oil and gas industry.
Knighted in 1994 for services to oil and gas and later appointed a member of the Order of the Thistle, Wood also established the Wood Foundation in 2007, which supports charitable projects in Scotland and East Africa. He was married to Lady Helen for 55 years, father to Nic, Graham and Garreth, and grandfather to seven grandchildren. Tributes came from First Minister John Swinney and other business and political leaders, highlighting his influence on Scotland’s economy and his philanthropic legacy.
Entities: Helen Wood · John Swinney · Sir Ian Wood · The Wood Foundation · Wood Group
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood transformed the Wood Group into a global energy services company valued at over £5 billion. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood founded the Wood Foundation in 2007, which carries out charitable projects in Scotland and East Africa. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood was survived by his wife Helen, children Nic, Graham and Garreth, and seven grandchildren. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood served as chief executive of Wood Group from 1967 to 2006 and as chairman until 2012. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood was appointed a member of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest chivalric order. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood’s net worth was estimated at about £1.8‑£1.9 billion. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood was knighted in 1994 for services to the oil and gas industry. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Sir Ian Wood died peacefully at his home in Aberdeen at age 84. (c7e25a45-1bdb-4b95-9853-034593032c00,747f27e5-04e6-4924-91fd-ed1e77995c9b,3c245067-e38c-41cc-81b2-6414025c760e,835b2737-)