Enginuity Group Chair Sir Jim McDonald appointed to the Order of the Thistle

The Enginuity Group is delighted to congratulate our Chair, Sir Jim McDonald GBE, on his appointment to the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest order of chivalry. 

Announced by His Majesty The King, Sir Jim has been recognised for his outstanding contributions to engineering, education and public service. The Order of the Thistle is one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious honours and is awarded personally by the Sovereign to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to national life. 

Sir Jim joined the Enginuity Group as Chair in 2024, bringing with him a distinguished career spanning engineering, academia and industry. A globally respected engineer, he previously served as President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and has been a longstanding champion of engineering skills, innovation and economic growth. 

In HM The Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours List in June 2012, Sir Jim was awarded a knighthood for services to education, engineering and the economy. He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to engineering, to education and to energy. 

Throughout his career, Sir Jim has worked tirelessly to promote engineering as a rewarding and impactful profession, inspiring future generations and advocating for the skills needed to drive the UK's prosperity and competitiveness. He has been a consistent champion of widening access to higher education, with Strathclyde having become a leading institution in that endeavour. In related roles, he was Chair of the Glasgow Science Centre, inaugural Chair of the Scottish Power Foundation and is Chair of both the Allt Dearg Educational Trust and Enginuity, the UK’s leading manufacturing and engineering skills organisation. 

Everyone at Enginuity Group extends their warmest congratulations to Sir Jim on this well-deserved recognition and thanks him for his continued leadership and commitment to strengthening the engineering and manufacturing sector. 

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