Tributes paid to former APM President, Sir Bob Reid

Tributes have been paid to Sir Bob Reid, former President of Association for Project Management (APM) and pioneering business leader, after he passed away aged 91.

Born Robert Paul Reid in Fife, Scotland on 1 May 1934, Sir Bob went on to work across the globe, beginning with Shell in Borneo before moving to Nigeria, Thailand and Australia. Sir Bob served as Chairman for Shell (1985-90), British Rail (1990-95), London Electricity (1994-97), Sears (1995-99) and the International Petroleum Exchange (1999 until his retirement in 2015). He received his knighthood in 1990.

Sir Bob first became involved with APM in the 1980s when he was developing the Management Charter Initiative at Shell UK, to enhance the professionalism of the organisation’s management.

It was during his tenure as chairman of the British Railways Board that he was approached to serve as APM President. Holding the position for nine years, Sir Bob’s time as President brought much-appreciated organisational expertise to bear at a critical stage in APM’s development. 

Professor Adam Boddison OBE, APM’s Chief Executive, said: “Sir Bob Reid provided leadership for Association for Project Management at a critical stage in the organisation's development. Alongside his work at APM, Sir Bob had a global impact through multiple high profile roles such as CEO at Shell, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Scotland and Chairman of British Rail. My thoughts are with Sir Bob's family at this difficult time.”

Tom Taylor, former President and Chair of APM, said: “Sir Bob saw a lot of life and embraced it fully…I met him several times at events during the noughties. He was always affable, confident, knowledgeable – which is not always the case for persons who have held such senior positions. While he was chairman of British Rail at the same time as President of APM he was not so much a ‘railway man’ as an ‘energy person’ from a long career with Shell.”