The Chair of Babcock International Group has been awarded a damehood in the King’s New Year Honours 2025 for her services to Industry.
Dame Ruth Cairnie DBE is Babcock’s first female Chair in the company’s 130-year history and was the first woman to chair a major UK defence company. Receiving a DBE for her transformation of Babcock since 2019, she has improved its Board’s processes and culture and moved sustainability to the forefront. Ruth’s leadership has overseen Babcock’s stabilisation delivering double-digit organic growth, strong cash performance and a substantial reduction in debt.
Ruth has also been recognised for Babcock’s role in supporting national security via the operation of Skynet, the Ministry of Defence’s satellite communication system.
Outside of Babcock, Ruth has been active as Commissioner on the Covid Recovery Commission. She was Chair of POWERful Women from 2015 to 2022 and was appointed Chair of the Remuneration Committee at BT in 2023. She is a trustee of the White Ensign Association, Industry Patron of the UK Women in Defence Charter and was until recently a trustee of Windsor Leadership.
On receiving her damehood, Ruth said: “I believe strongly that the UK benefits greatly from having leading sovereign companies and have been fortunate to serve with a number of them. It is a great privilege to be the Chair of Babcock and to support the team in the critical reset they have delivered. I am also highly committed to the importance of diversity in business and am encouraged by the gradual but continued increase in female representation in Defence, Energy and other sectors. I am deeply honoured by this recognition.”
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