Queen's honour for welding expert

Dr Bob John, the former Chief Executive of TWI, was awarded an OBE for services to industry in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours list. 

Dr John is a graduate metallurgist of the University of Wales (Swansea) where he first became involved with welding through a PhD on the weldability of 5% nickel steel. 

His career developed over 20 years through BOC and ESAB prior to joining TWI. He has worked in the UK, Sweden and the United States. During this time, he served on the Board of a number of ESAB subsidiaries as well as serving as a member of the Group management in Gothenburg, responsible for the Group's marketing. ESAB as a company grew by a factor of 10 over a decade and now, with over 100 years experience, a presence in over 80 countries and more than 8,000 employees worldwide, ESAB is the world's most recognised brand in welding and cutting. 

Dr Bob John joined TWI in 1991, to take the position of TWI's Director, Business Development, responsible for the strategic direction of the business, corporate planning, business growth and quality managment. Bob subsequently took over as Chief Executive of TWI.   

He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of The Welding Institute and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Mining and Minerals. 

"ESAB is particularly proud to have played such a major role in Dr John's career and is grateful to Dr John for helping ESAB become the world's largest welding consumables company," said Nazmi Adams, ESAB's Global Head of Welding Consumables.