Archie Bethel
Encyclopedia
Archie Bethel is Chief Executive, Babcock Marine; former vice-president and treasurer of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
; past president of Scottish Engineering and former Chief Executive the Lanarkshire Development Agency, Scottish Enterprise
.
from which he matriculated at the University of Strathclyde
. On completing his degree in mechanical engineering Bethel entered the oil industry, joining Vetco Gray
in Aberdeen before transferring to Houston, U.S.A., as a design engineer. Rising to director of the research and development section, Bethel returned to the U.K. in 1985, promoted to managing director of UK Operations.
In 1991 he was appointed Chief Executive of the Lanarkshire Development Agency, part of the Scottish Enterprise
network, a position he held until April 1996 when he took up the post as chief operating officer at Motherwell Bridge, a major engineering firm. On leaving Motherwell Bridge, in January 2004 Bethel took up the position as Chief Executive, Babcock Marine. Employing some 8,000 people, the firm is the largest provider of engineering services to the Royal Navy
; the building of two new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers going ahead despite cuts announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review
2010. In April 2010, Archie Bethel was appointed to the main board of Babcock International Group
PLC.
(from 2001) and is a former President of Scottish Engineering (2003-2005.)
In 2003, Archie Bethel was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
and in 2010, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
.
In November 2009, Bethel was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Science
from the University of Strathclyde
.
Archie Bethel was awarded the OBE in 1996 and the CBE
in 2008.
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
Babcock Marine
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
; past president of Scottish Engineering and former Chief Executive the Lanarkshire Development Agency, Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is a sponsored non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business...
.
Education and career
Archibald Anderson Bethel was born at High Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, and was educated at the Hamilton AcademyHamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
from which he matriculated at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. On completing his degree in mechanical engineering Bethel entered the oil industry, joining Vetco Gray
Vetco
Vetco was established in July 2004 and operated through its subsidiaries and . Vetco was the result of a consortium consisting of the private equity firms Candover, 3i and taking over ABB's oil and gas division; ABB Offshore Systems. Vetco was made out of companies that have serviced the upstream...
in Aberdeen before transferring to Houston, U.S.A., as a design engineer. Rising to director of the research and development section, Bethel returned to the U.K. in 1985, promoted to managing director of UK Operations.
In 1991 he was appointed Chief Executive of the Lanarkshire Development Agency, part of the Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is a sponsored non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business...
network, a position he held until April 1996 when he took up the post as chief operating officer at Motherwell Bridge, a major engineering firm. On leaving Motherwell Bridge, in January 2004 Bethel took up the position as Chief Executive, Babcock Marine. Employing some 8,000 people, the firm is the largest provider of engineering services to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
; the building of two new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers going ahead despite cuts announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review
Strategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
2010. In April 2010, Archie Bethel was appointed to the main board of Babcock International Group
Babcock International Group
Babcock International Group plc is a British-based support services company specialising in managing complex assets and infrastructure in safety-critical and mission-critical environments. Although the company has civil contracts, its main business is with public bodies, particularly the UK...
PLC.
Other appointments and honours
Archie Bethel has served as vice-President and treasurer of the Institution of Mechanical EngineersInstitution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
(from 2001) and is a former President of Scottish Engineering (2003-2005.)
In 2003, Archie Bethel was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
and in 2010, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
.
In November 2009, Bethel was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
from the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
.
Archie Bethel was awarded the OBE in 1996 and the CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 2008.
External links
The Royal Academy of EngineeringInstitution of Mechanical Engineers
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
Babcock Marine