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| Cranfield University honours Atkins’ chairman with doctorate  Allan Cook CBE, Atkins' chairman, has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from Cranfield University in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the defence and security industry.The award was made at Cranfield University's Graduation ceremony for 2016 on Thursday, 7 July 2016. Cranfield is a specialist postgraduate university focused on technology and management. Professor Simon Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor – Defence and Security, Cranfield University, said: "Allan Cook is an engineer's engineer. He is the very model of a modern engineering leader. Highly skilled, business focused and committed to education. Through his career he has helped position the UK as a leader in engineering and advanced manufacturing." Addressing the new graduates Allan said: "For you as students of Energy, Environment and Agrifood, one thing is clear: you all have a great opportunity to help shape the world of tomorrow by applying your knowledge to the many challenges faced by humanity and our planet. Ensuring future food and energy supply to cities all over the world and creating new strategies to minimise climate change and its impacts are very good examples. We need to find new, smart, innovative solutions to address these issues and that will be down to you." Allan Cook CBE Allan Cook was appointed a non-executive director of Atkins in September 2009, taking up the post of chairman on 1 February 2010. He is a chartered engineer with more than 40 years' international experience in the automotive, aerospace and defence industries. He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) where he is Vice President and serves as a trustee. He also chairs the RAE's employer-focused Diversity Leadership Group, part of the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) Diversity Programme. Allan was chief executive of Cobham plc until December 2009. Prior to this he held senior roles at GEC-Marconi, BAE Systems and Hughes Aircraft. He is a member of the operating executive board of J.F. Lehman & Company. He is chairman of the UK Government's Skills & Jobs Retention Group, the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA), UKTI's Advanced Engineering Sector Advisory Board and co-chair of the Defence Growth Partnership Steering Committee. Allan is also a director of Baker Dearing Educational Trust, patron of Greenpower Education Trust and lead non-executive director of BIS. Allan was deputy chairman of Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Limited until December 2015 and chairman of Finmeccanica UK Limited and Selex ES Ltd until December 2014. He was president of the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and was president of the Society of British Aerospace and Defence Companies (SBAC). He was awarded a CBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours list in 2008. write your comments about the article :: © 2016 Construction News :: home page |