Robert Barclay Woods
Areas of Interest
BusinessHonorary Award
Honorary Doctor of the University, 2007Biography
Robert Barclay Woods was educated at Cambridge University where he graduated with a degree in Economics and History. He joined P&O General Cargo Division in 1971, then transferred to Overseas Containers Ltd in 1980, heading their Gulf headquarters in Dubai. Returning to the UK in 1984, Robert was appointed General Manager of Far East Trade.
In 1989 he was appointed Joint Managing Director and a year later became sole Managing Director of P&O Containers Ltd. On its merger with Nedlloyd Lines BV, Robert was appointed Managing Director of P&O Nedlloyd Ltd and subsequently Group Managing Director of P&O. He was then appointed Executive Chairman of P&O Ports Ltd and Non-Executive Director of John Swire and Sons Ltd. In 2002 Robert was appointed President of the Chamber of Shipping, and in 2004 became Chief Executive P&O Steam Navigation Company, retaining direct executive responsibility for P&O Ports. In 2005 he was appointed Council member of the Sea Cadets. He is on the board of Caledonia Investments and in 2013/14 Robert was the President for the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.
Following the takeover of P&O by DP World in March 2006, Robert remained co-Chief Executive until September 2006 when he retired from his executive role. He remains the Chairman of P&O Ferries, DP World Southampton and is a Director of DP World Limited. In 2006 he was appointed Chairman of Mission to Seafarers. In 2007, he became Chairman of Maritime London.
In 2007 Robert Barclay Woods was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of the University.
Citation
"The Senate of Anglia Ruskin University is pleased to confer on Robert Woods the award of Honorary Doctor of the University in recognition of his long and dedicated services to P&O, an organisation once described by Margaret Thatcher as 'not just a company but the very fabric of the empire'.
Robert Woods was born in 1946 and educated at Cambridge University where he graduated with a degree in economics and history. Robert joined P&O General Cargo Division in 1971 and transferred to Overseas Containers Limited (later P&O Containers Limited) in 1980, heading the company's Gulf headquarters in Dubai. Returning to the United Kingdom in 1984 he was appointed General Manager of the Far East Trade. Two years later he became Trade Director of the Australia/New Zealand Service. In 1989 he was appointed Joint Managing Director and a year later became sole Managing Director of P&O Containers Limited.
On the merger of P&O Containers Limited and Nedlloyd Lines BV 1997 he was appointed Managing Director of P&O Nedlloyd Limited and subsequently appointed Group Managing Director of P&O Nedlloyd in May 2000. In May 2002 he was appointed Executive Chairman of P&O Ports Limited and Non-Executive Director of John Swire and Sons Limited. In October 2002 he was appointed President of the Chamber of Shipping for an extended term of eighteen months.
In January 2004 he became Chief Executive P&O Steam Navigation Company, retaining direct executive responsibility for P&O Ports and at the same time relinquishing his position as Group Managing Director of P&O Nedlloyd Container Line.
Following the takeover of P&O by DP World in March 2006, he remained as co-Chief Executive with DP World CEO Mohammed Sharaf, until September 2006 when he retired from his executive role. He remains in his positions as Chairman of P&O ferries, Southampton Container Terminal and Tilbury Container Services and is a special advisor to DP World's parent company, P&F World FZE. In October 2006, he was appointed Chairman of the Mission of Seafarers.
Robert Woods is on the Council of the Sea Cadets and is Chairman of Maritime London, Non-Executive directorships include John Swire & Sons, Cathay Pacific Airways and Scorpion Offshore Drilling.
Lord Sterling once said that if you cut chief executive Robert Woods through the middle you would fine P&O written inside him "like a stick of rock". This is a fitting statement to a man who has dedicated his life working for P&O.
In the light of the above, and exercising the power conferred on me by Senate, may I therefore invite the Vice Chancellor, Mike Thorne, to bestow the award of Honorary Doctor of the University upon Robert Woods."