Ernest Woodroofe

Sir Ernest George Woodroofe (6 January 1912 - 31 March 2002) was a businessman, best known for holding several positions of relevance in Unilever.

Education and career

Ernest Woodroofe attended Leeds University and gained a First in Physics and a doctorate in Atomic Physics^[1][1].

In 1935 Woodroofe went to work in a small seed-crushing and oil-refining subsidiary, Loders & Nucoline, in the East End of London, where he combined product development work with the job of transport manager learning vital lessons in cost control^[1].

In 1944 he was transferred to a British Oil and Cake Mills branch in Scotland, where he was in charge of a group of loss-making factories in Scotland where the chief problem was over-manning^[1][1]. Woodroofe embarked on a programme of lay-offs which received a hostile reaction from the workforce. However by persuasion and personal leadership, he returned the operations to profitability and won the worker’s co- operation^[1][1].

In 1955 he was appointed Head of Unilever Research Division for Unilever and joined the British and Dutch Boards of Unilever a year later^[1][1].

In 1961 Woodroofe was appointed Vice-chairman of Unilever Ltd and a member of the Special Committee and in 1970 he became Chairman of Unilever Ltd and Vice-chairman of NV^[1][1].

Woodroofe was awarded a knighthood three years later and in 1974 he retired from Unilever after 39 years with the company^[1][1][2][3].

In his retirement, Sir Ernest remained committed to the conservation of the UK’s salmon and sea trout rivers and was a leading activist for the water quality and natural environment of the Tamar River in Devon. He was also a Vice-President of the Atlantic Salmon Trust^[1][1].

References

- GB1752.LIB/Speeches/25. 'Speeches of Sir Ernest Woodroofe Chairman Unilever plc 1970-1974' - Item

- GB1752.LIB/Speeches/28. 'Collected speeches of Sir Ernest Woodroofe. Vice Chairman Unilever Ltd May 1961-May 1970 Chairman Unilever Ltd May 1970-May 1974' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/1/5/4 (1969-1973). 'E.G. Woodroofe' - Sub series - GB1752.UNI/BD/2/1/5. 'Ernest Woodroofe Speeches and Writings' - Sub series

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/1/5/3 (1973). 'Speech of Sir Ernest Woodroofe' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/1/5/7 (1970). 'Dr Ernest Woodroofe Chairman of Unilever talks to Kenneth Harris of The Observer' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/1/5/8 (1974). 'Collected Speeches of Sir Ernest Woodroofe' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/1/5/9 (1972). 'Dr. Ernest Woodroofe on Unilever's Role as a Multinational Business' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/3/5. 'Ernest Woodroofe and Gerrit Klijnstra Collaborative Speeches and Writings' - Sub series

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/3/6. 'Ernest Woodroofe and Harold Hartog Collaborative Speeches and Writings' - Sub series

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/1 (c 1960). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Holland Visit 1960s' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/2 (1962). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Ceylon Visit 1962' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/3 (1962). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe India Visit 1962' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/4 (1962). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Pakistan Visit 1962' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/5 (1963). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe South Africa Visit 1963' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/6 (1963). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Visit 1963' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/7 (1968). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Bombay Visit 1968' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/10 (1968-1969). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Overseas Visit Photographs' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/11 (c1970s). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Asia Visit 1970s' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/12 (c1970s). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/13 (1971). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Indonesia Visit 1971' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/15 (1974). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Holland Visit 1974' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/17. 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Retirement Photographs' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/5/2/18 (c1972). 'Ernest Woodroofe Portrait' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/2/6/3 (1974). 'Sir Ernest Woodroofe Retirement Album' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/BD/SC/3/761 (1963-1974). 'File Special Committee papers: Miscellaneous reports/papers (Woodroofe speeches, PR policy, Personnel Department papers, etc)' - Item Category:1912 births Category:2002 deaths Category:Businesspeople Category:Unilever people Category:Unilever companies Category:Physicists Category:CBE Category:Conservationists