2007: John Baxter

John Baxter (1951-)

122nd President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Baxter was born in 1951 and educated at Queen’s Park School in Glasgow, and then Strathclyde University, from where he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. After graduation he studied for a postgraduate degree at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich and started his career as a Submarine Engineer Officer. He served on a Polaris nuclear submarine carrying out refitting.

Baxter’s experience in the nuclear field led to an appointment with the United Kingdom Energy Authority in 1990 as Director of Engineering. He was also a founding director of Hunting BRAE, the private company that ran the UK atomic weapon plants. He worked as Director at Dounreay and was appointed to the UKAEA Board by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. He oversaw operations at Windscale, Harwell and Winfrith.

In 1998 he left UKAEA to work at Powergen plc. He was responsible for strategy, research and development and all technical services. His knowledge and expertise in all aspects of the company’s engineering business led to a promotion as Powergen’s Group Engineering Director.

Baxter’s current position is as Group Engineering Director at BP. He is responsible for integrity management, major accident risk assessment and engineering standards. He is also Head of Profession for engineering at the BP Group.

Baxter became President of the IMechE in 2007. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Technology and the Royal Academy of Engineers and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Engineers. He advises the MoD on nuclear safety and oil industry concerns. He maintains a link with the military holding the rank of Colonel in the Engineer and Logistics Staff Corp of the Royal Engineers.

Related Collections

Presidents' gallery