2 Jan 2025

Ruth Cairnie recognised in the New Year’s Honours list 2025

Executive Portraits of the Babcock board at Rosyth, May 2024

We’re welcoming in 2025 with the great news that our Chair, Dame Ruth Cairnie DBE, has been awarded a damehood in the New Year’s Honours list for her services to Industry.

Dame Ruth is the first female Chair in our 130-year history and was the first woman to chair a major UK defence company. Receiving a DBE for her transformation of Babcock since 2019, she has improved our Board’s processes and culture and moved sustainability to the forefront. Dame Ruth’s leadership has overseen our stabilisation delivering double-digit organic growth, strong cash performance and a substantial reduction in debt.

Dame Ruth has also been recognised for Babcock’s role in supporting national security via the operation of SKYNET, the Ministry of Defence’s satellite communication system.

Outside of Babcock, Dame Ruth has been active as Commissioner on the Covid Recovery Commission. She was Chair of POWERful Women from 2015 to 2022 and was appointed Chair of the Remuneration Committee at BT in 2023. She is a trustee of the White Ensign Association, Industry Patron of the UK Women in Defence Charter and was until recently a trustee of Windsor Leadership.

On receiving her damehood, Dame Ruth said: “I believe strongly that the UK benefits greatly from having leading sovereign companies and have been fortunate to serve with a number of them. It is a great privilege to be the Chair of Babcock and to support the team in the critical reset they have delivered. I am also highly committed to the importance of diversity in business and am encouraged by the gradual but continued increase in female representation in Defence, Energy and other sectors. I am deeply honoured by this recognition.”

The New Year’s Honours list recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK – congratulations Dame Ruth on this well-deserved recognition.