John Browne is a scientist and business leader. He was the Chief Executive of BP from 1995 to 2007 and was one of the first senior figures in the oil and gas industry to accept the scientific arguments for anthropogenic climate change. His application of scientific principles at one of the UK’s largest companies helped shape the climate debate within the energy industry and improved the lives of many people across the world.
Long a supporter of British science and engineering, John has served as President of the British Science Association and as President of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
He holds honorary doctorates from 19 universities and is an Honorary Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge. He was knighted in 1998 and was made a life peer in 2001. He is the author of the memoir Beyond Business; popular science book Seven Elements that Have Changed the World; The Glass Closet, a book on why LGBT inclusion is good for business; and Connect, a which discusses how companies succeed by engaging closely with society.
Professional position
- Fellow and Former President, Royal Academy of Engineering
- Chairman, The Courtauld Institute of Art
- Chairman of Trustees, Queen Elizabeth Prize Foundation
- Chairman, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
- Chairman, Huawei Technologies (UK)
- Chairman of Trustees, Tate
Subject groups
- Engineering
Engineering, environmental, Engineering, general
- Other
Public understanding of science, Science policy
