Keith Henry Taylor: 1995–1997

Keith Taylor was born in Brighton on 25 October 1938 and was educated at King Edward VI School in Stratford on Avon before moving to Birmingham University where he obtained a First Class Honours BSc degree followed by a PhD in chemical engineering.

He joined Esso in 1964 at Fawley Refinery and went on to hold senior managerial positions in refining, research, marine transportation, logistics and corporate planning for both Esso Petroleum Company and Esso Europe Inc.

In January 1980 he joined Exxon Company USA in New Orleans and the following year was made responsible for production and drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Returning to London in 1982, Keith Taylor was appointed Operations Manager and then Production Manager for Esso Exploration & Production UK Ltd. Two years later, in 1984, he moved back to the US, this time as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of Exxon Corporation in New York, before returning once again to London twelve months later to become Managing Director, Esso Exploration & Production.

Finally, in February 1993, he was appointed Chairman & Chief Executive of Esso UK plc.

IChemE was not the only organisation to benefit from his wealth of experience as he became a member of the Offshore Industry Advisory Board in 1988 and in the same year took on the role of President of the UK Offshore Operators Association for a 12 month period. In 1991 he became Vice President and member of Council of the Institute of Petroleum and two years later took on a number of additional roles: Executive Committee member of the British Energy Association and also of the American Chamber of Commerce (UK); Council member of the Institute of Business Ethics; Council for Industry and Higher Education; Business in the Community and the Confederation of British Industry; as well as being a member of the Advisory Council of the Prince's Youth Business Trust.

In 1995 he was appointed Vice President of IChemE but the start of his presidency was brought forward by some six months following the untimely death, in office, of the previous President, John Collier, in November of that same year.