Peter Walters Explained

Honorific Prefix:	Sir
Birth Name:	Peter Ingram Walters
Birth Date:	1931 3, df=y^[1]
Birth Place:	Birmingham, England
Module:	Embed: yes Office: 7th Chairman of British Petroleum Term Start: 1981 Term End: 1990 Successor: Sir Robert Horton
Education:	King Edward's School, Birmingham, University of Birmingham

Sir Peter Ingram Walters (11 March 1931 – 11 July 2023) was a British businessman. He was the chief executive and chairman of British Petroleum. He was born in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the family of a police inspector.^[2]

In 1949, he left King Edward's School, Birmingham. He gained a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Birmingham in 1952.

In 1954 he joined British Petroleum. From 1965 to 1967 Walters was vice president of BP North America Inc, and from 1971 to 1980 regional director for the Western Hemisphere, Australasia and the Far East. He became BP's deputy chairman in 1980.^[3]

Walters was the chairman of BP from 1981 to 1990.^[4] He retired from BP in March 1990. In 1991–1994, he was chairman of Midland Bank. From 1994 to 2000, he was chairman of SmithKline Beecham. He was a deputy chairman of GlaxoSmithKline. Walters was deputy chairman of EMI in 1990–1999 and HSBC Holdings in 1992–2001.^[4] He was president of the General Council of British Shipping, the Society of Chemical Industry and the Institute for Employment Studies, and has served as a chairman of the governing body of the London Business School, president of the Institute of Directors, president of the Police Foundation, president of the Institute of Business Ethics and a trustee of the Institute of Economic Affairs.^[4]

Walters was knighted in 1984.^[5] He was awarded the Society of Chemical Industry's Centenal Medal, received honorary fellowships from the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institution of Chemical Engineers, and the Cadman Medal from the Institute of Petroleum. He received honorary doctorates from Birmingham University and Stirling University, and an honorary fellowship from the London Business School.^[4]

Sir Peter Walters died on 11 July 2023, at the age of 92.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Book: Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood. Burke's Peerage & Gentry . Mosley, Charles . Charles Mosley (genealogist) . 107 . 2003 . 4066 . Burke . 0-9711966-2-1.
2. News: The biggest bosses 7. Sir Peter Walters British Petroleum a policeman's son enjoys tough calls . . Richard I. . Kirkland Jr. . 3 August 1987 . 16 May 2013.
3. News: British Petroleum Chairman Sir Peter Walters to Quit . . 8 September 1989 . 16 May 2013.
4. TNK International appoints Sir Peter Walters and Sir William Purves to its newly-created Advisory Board. . 13 June 2002 . 5 June 2010.
5. Web site: Gift from Sir Peter Walters . 2013-05-16. King Edward's School. Birmingham.
6. News: Sir Peter Walters obituary. Martin. Adeney. 4 August 2023. The Guardian.