Wha’s like us… Sir Ian Wood

MANY would have given up by now, but oil mogul Sir Ian Wood has never given the impression of being one of them.

The Aberdeen-based tycoon wants to improve the centre of the city that is at the root of his black gold fortune by leaving a lasting legacy.

Despite vast oil wealth, Aberdeen’s fabric has not really benefited from the North Sea boom in the way that similar fortunes made in the Victorian era transformed Scottish communities.

Wood’s idea is to turn Union Terrace Gardens into an iconic 21st-century urban landscape of which the city and its residents can be proud. So wedded to the idea is Wood that he is prepared to contribute £50 million of his personal fortune to make the £140m project work.

Despite sometimes vehement opposition, Wood has become the face of the project, and if he wins the argument – the council is considering putting it to a referendum – it will be a triumph for the tenacity he has shown throughout his long and illustrious career.