Visiting Professor role for Professor Robin Watson CBE
Strathclyde alumnus Robin Watson, an experienced and renowned figure in the engineering industry who has held multiple senior roles in global companies, has been made a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde Business School.
Robin has more than 35 years of engineering and industry experience, with 20 years spent in Executive positions across a variety of market sectors around the globe, with a breadth of Executive and Non-Executive Board experience in both the UK and US public markets and extensive Director and Chair experience of several government and industry representative bodies.
Robin currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Honeywell International, who are a Fortune-100 US industrial technology company, the UK Institute of Directors (IoD) and as a Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company. He previously served a decade on the Board of Wood Plc, seven years of which was as Chief Executive, transforming it from an oil-field service company into one of the world’s foremost engineering and consultancy companies. Prior to that, he started his professional career with ExxonMobil.
Robin - who attained an MBA from Strathclyde - is committed to education and continuous professional development. He was also awarded the CBE in Her Majesty the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours in recognition of services to international trade.
As visiting professor, Robin will be providing industry insights and links with industry for SBS programmes and engagement. In addition, he will be supporting delivery on the MBA and executive education programmes as well as for a range of knowledge exchange events.
Robin said, "I am honoured and delighted to become a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde, which has a particular place in my heart, having both studied there and having engaged with the University extensively across my entire career and I look forward to contributing to the University’s continued success in this new role."
Executive Dean of Strathclyde Business School Professor David Hillier said, "I am delighted Robin has been awarded a visiting professorship at Strathclyde Business School. His wealth of experience in global business speaks for itself and he will undoubtedly bring so much knowledge, expertise and leadership skills to the business school. Robin has had a stellar career and it is gratifying to see the return of one of our own alumni who has achieved so much in his career to take on this role."
Robin has already delivered a leadership session for our MBA Sustainable Energy Futures cohort exploring leadership within the energy and utilities industry in early December and a further event is planned for January 18 - Leadership in a VUCA World - when Robin will speak about leadership in conversation with Professor David Hillier.
The January event is part of a series of events to mark the University of Strathclyde's Diamond Jubilee year: 60 years since the University received degree-awarding powers in a Royal Charter granted by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Celebrations will take place across the full year and reflect on Strathclyde’s distinctive contribution to the world as a leading international, technological, and socially progressive university – not just over six decades since 1964, but also over the more than two centuries since our foundation as Anderson’s Institution in 1796.
Published: 20 December 2023
