Ian Lindsay, Secretary

General, World Energy

Council; born January 26, 1935, died April 5, 1998

Ian Lindsay was born in Edinburgh and had part of his education at Glenalmond; however, in his professional career the world was his stage.

He was proud of his Scottish roots and had fairly recently joined the council of Glenalmond College, but much of his childhood, and later his National Service years, saw him in Kenya, a country he also held in great affection.

He won a Queen's Commendation for bravery while doing his National Service (1953-55), after which he attended Oxford University, where he read Law and Economic Geography, graduating in 1959.

He first joined BP, working in North Africa and later transferring to the company's Paris office. His next assignment was in London, where he acted as the area co-ordinator of BP for Latin America and the Caribbean.

He then became regional marketing manager for Southern Europe, and in 1973 he moved to Turkey, where he spent four years as managing director of BP's refining, marketing, and exploration interests in that country.

In 1978 he returned to London as a director of BP Africa, and for the last five years of his BP career he was based in Belgium, in charge of the company's worldwide consumer goods business.

He became Secretary General of the World Energy Council, arguably the world's leading energy forum, in 1986, his wide experience making him almost a natural choice for the job.

Those close to him, notably the publishers of America's Energy Daily, commented that he saw energy, at reasonable prices and in abundance, as the key to improving the quality of life for impoverished people everywhere, especially in his beloved Africa.

Last year, Energy Daily awarded Lindsay its lifetime achievement award in recognition of his work with the WEC, which was on-going at the time of his death.

He travelled the world on behalf of the WEC, conveying its message, participating in energy and energy-related events, and playing a key role in organising its congresses.

His passing is said to have left a large gap in the WEC, because of his understanding and advocacy of the importance of energy in sustainable development.

He never failed to emphasise the need to bring commercial energy to poorer countries, and continually reminded his audiences of the myriad challenges facing the world in the supply and use of energy.

He is survived by his wife, Nicola, a son and a daughter.