EK businessman recieves honorary doctorate from Strathclyde University

Nov 11 2009 by Lynda Nicol, East Kilbride News

A LEADING East Kilbride businessman was one of two prominent Strathclyde University graduates who returned to the university last week to receive an honorary doctorate.

Archie Bethel, chief executive of Babcock Marine, was honoured at the university’s autumn graduation ceremonies at Barony Hall.

Another business leader and former graduate of the university, Mark Hunter, chief executive officer of Molson Coors Brewing Company, was also recognised for his outstanding contribution to business and engineering at a ceremony earlier in the week.

Speaking prior to the ceremonies, Professor Jim McDonald, principal of the university, said: "We are extremely pleased to be welcoming Mark Hunter and Archie Bethel back to Strathclyde.

“They have excelled in their areas of work and have made significant contributions to their respective fields.

"Their hard work, dedication and innovative ideas are an inspiration to our students and it is fitting that their achievements should be recognised by their university."

Archie Bethel graduated from Strathclyde's Department of Mechanical Engineering and later became one of the first graduates of Strathclyde's distance learning MBA programme.

Since completing his first degree in 1975, he has worked in four sectors, rising to the top in each field.

As a graduate engineer, he joined the oil industry with Vetco Gray in Aberdeen before travelling to Houston in a design engineer role.

He joined the research and development section and became its director before returning to the UK in 1985 as managing director, UK Operations, at the age of 35.

In 1991, he joined the Scottish Enterprise Network and headed up a staff of 120, working with local companies and public sector agencies to regenerate the Lanarkshire economy in the post steel era.

He was awarded an OBE in 1996.

He later became chief operating officer of Motherwell Bridge Group, with a staff of 4000.

He was responsible for the day-to-day running of the group and maintaining its major presence in the UK power and nuclear industries and also worldwide in the oil and gas sector.

Currently, Mr Bethel is chief executive of Babcock Marine, who are currently building two state-of-the-art aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy at Rosyth.

He is responsible for the firm’s financial and operational performance.

It employs 10,000 people and has a turnover of around £1.2bn and is the largest provider of engineering services to the Royal Navy.

Mr Bethel was made a CBE in 2008.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, has been vice-president and treasurer of the Institution of Mechanical engineering since 2001 and was president of Scottish Engineering from 2003-2005.

He has been a long-term industrial advisor and invited lecturer at Strathclyde University's Department of Mechanical Engineering, and introduced the BIG Academy in Babcock Marine in conjunction with Strathclyde Business School – an executive development programme which has been undertaken by more than 400 senior managers in four years.

Born in High Blantyre, he and his wife Doreen have lived in East Kilbride more than 20 years.