Sir Richard Olver FREng, former Chairman of BAE Systems, will be awarded the President’s Medal, one of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s most prestigious awards.
He will receive the award for his exceptional contributions to the Academy’s work, particularly in engineering education from Academy President, Dame Ann Dowling DBE FREng FRS, at the Academy’s Awards Dinner in London on 16 July.
Sir Richard joins a selected number of recipients of this award, including nuclear engineering expert Dame Sue Ion DBE FREng, renowned architect Jim Eyre OBE, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Design Sir Jonathan Ive KBE RDI FREng and the late Professor Tony Kelly CBE DL FREng FRS, widely regarded as the father of composite materials.
Sir Olver said: “I am honoured and privileged to receive this generous award. As with most successful things in human endeavour, they are the result of many people’s efforts. I would like to recognise the wonderful staff that worked with me over the last decade at the Royal Academy of Engineering and at BAE Systems PLC”
Fellow of the Academy since 2005, Sir Richard has been a champion for engineering education and skills. From 2009 to 2014 he has been chair of the Education for Engineering (E4E) Policy Group, an alliance bringing together the UK’s 36 Engineering Institutions, the Engineering Council, EngineeringUK and the Academy to provide a single voice to government on all education policy affecting engineering.
Prior to his role at BAE Systems, Sir Richard was Deputy Group Chief Executive of BP PLC after more than 30 years at the company and was awarded Non-Executive Director of the year sponsored by the Sunday Times in 2011 and in 2013 was knighted for his contribution to Business and to UK Corporate Governance.
