Philip Jones (civil servant)
Sir Philip Jones | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 July 1931 Wales |
| Died | 19 July 2000 (aged 69) |
| Occupation(s) | Civil servant, business executive |
| Years active | 1953–2000 |
| Known for | Chairman of Total Oil Marine and Total Oil Holdings; Chairman of the Electricity Council; Deputy Secretary at the Department of Energy; leadership of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |
Sir (Thomas) Philip Jones CB FRSA (13 July 1931 – 19 July 2000) was a distinguished Welsh civil servant and business executive. Following an extensive tenure within the UK Civil Service, he assumed the chairmanship of Total Oil Marine from 1990 to 1998 and Total Oil Holdings between 1991 and 1998. Additionally, he led the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales from 1996 until his passing.
Jones received his education at Cowbridge Grammar School before attending Jesus College, Oxford, where he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in 1990. His early career included military service as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery from 1953 to 1955, after which he entered the Civil Service. His appointments encompassed Assistant Principal at the Ministry of Supply, followed by roles at the Ministry of Aviation, HM Treasury, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), culminating in his promotion to Under-secretary in 1974. He later served as Deputy Secretary at the Department of Energy between 1976 and 1983.
Jones’s board memberships featured directorships at the British National Oil Corporation from 1980 to 1982 and the British Overseas Trade Board from 1985 to 1988. From 1983 until 1990, he was chairman of the Electricity Council. His stewardship at Total Oil concentrated on marine operations and holding company management amid a transformative phase in the energy sector.
Among his accolades were appointment as Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1978, knighthood granted in 1986, Freeman of the City of London also in 1986, Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts awarded in 1987, and Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 1997. From 1986 onward, he served as a governor at Henley Management College. Sir Philip Jones passed away on 19 July 2000.