Charles Woodburn
{{short description|British businessman (born 1971)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Charles Woodburn
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=100|CBE}}
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Charles Nicholas Woodburn
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|03|11}}
| birth_place = Windsor, Berkshire, England{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=tgxxXjx1LplLob5f3StvUg&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=2 October 2022|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education =
| alma mater = University of Cambridge
Erasmus University Rotterdam
| occupation = Businessman
| title = CEO, BAE Systems
| term = July 2017-
| predecessor = Ian King
| successor =
| known for =
| boards =
| spouse =
| children =
| parents =
| relations =
| website =
}}
Charles Nicholas Woodburn {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 11 March 1971) is a British businessman who has been the CEO of BAE Systems since July 2017.
Education
Woodburn was born on 11 March 1971{{Cite web |last=Collingridge |first=John |date=21 March 2021 |title=Interview: Charles Woodburn, the skipper trying to navigate BAE through stormy seas |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/interview-charles-woodburn-the-skipper-trying-to-navigate-bae-through-stormy-seas-6mjndgxlf |work=The Sunday Times |issn=0956-1382 |access-date=24 May 2024}} and went to Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham, England.{{Cite news |last=Collingridge |first=John |date=2023-12-18 |title=Interview: Charles Woodburn, the skipper trying to navigate BAE through stormy seas |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/interview-charles-woodburn-the-skipper-trying-to-navigate-bae-through-stormy-seas-6mjndgxlf |access-date=2023-12-18 |issn=0140-0460}} Woodburn earned a bachelor's degree in electrical sciences from St John's College, Cambridge in 1992{{Cite news |last=Ruddick |first=Graham |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/15/bae-systems-appoints-charles-woodburn-chief-operating-officer-heir-apparent-ian-king|title=Who is Charles Woodburn, the man set to take the helm at BAE Systems?|date=15 February 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=27 April 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} and a PhD in engineering from Cambridge University, followed by an MBA from Erasmus University Rotterdam.{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=329694577&privcapId=874091 |title=Executive Profile: Charles Woodburn |author=|date=|website=Bloomberg.com |accessdate=27 October 2017}}
Career
Woodburn was the chief executive of Expro Group, which surveys and manages oil and gas wells around the world. He had also spent 15 years at Schlumberger, an oil services company, overseeing major projects in Thailand, Australia, and the US.
In 2016, Woodburn joined BAE Systems as its chief operating officer. On joining BAE Systems he was to be paid an annual base salary of £750,000. Additionally he was given more than £1.6m to compensate for incentive schemes at his previous company Expro. It was reported in December 2016 that he was paid a total joining package worth £3 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/bae-systems-boss-sees-pay-package-rise-by-18-to-35m-35572494.html|title=BAE Systems boss sees pay package rise by 18% to £3.5m|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph|via=www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk}} In 2021, Woodburn received a salary rise of 13% to bring his annual pay to £1.1 million.{{Cite news|date=22 April 2021|title=BAE Systems faces mounting criticism over CEO's pay to stay|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/bae-systems-faces-mounting-criticism-over-ceos-pay-stay-2021-04-22/|access-date=12 November 2021}} He was also in line for an extra £2 million long-term share award payable if he stayed at BAE until the end of 2023.
In December 2024, Woodburn was one of six executives sanctioned by the Chinese government over arms sales to Taiwan.{{Cite news |last=Zhang |first=Yunbi |date=6 December 2024 |title=Sanctions announced on US military firms, execs |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202412/06/WS67523565a310f1265a1d168e.html |access-date=2 January 2024 |work=China Daily}}
Honours and recognition
Woodburn was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to international trade and skills development.{{London Gazette
| issue = 64269
| date = 30 December 2023
| page = N11
| supp = y
}}{{cite web |title=Awards for New Year 2024 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/658daadd80a3bb000d9d05bd/NY24_-_GOV.UK_New_Year_Honours_List_2024.pdf |access-date=29 December 2023 |website=www.gov.uk}} He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2020.{{Cite web |title=Dr Charles Woodburn FREng |url=https://raeng.org.uk/about-us/fellowship/new-fellows-2020/dr-charles-woodburn-freng |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=Royal Academy of Engineering |language=en}}
Personal life
Woodburn is married with two children and lives in Surrey. He is a keen cyclist, skier and car enthusiast.{{Cite web |title=Group Chief Executive Officer |url=https://www.baesystems.com/en/our-company/our-people/executive-committee/group-chief-executive-officer |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=www.baesystems.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodburn, Charles}}
Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge
Category:British manufacturing chief executives
Category:Erasmus University Rotterdam alumni
Category:People from Windsor, Berkshire
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire