03.11.2006

Ken Scott 1951-2006

Ken Scott executive chairman of Aberdeen based Energy Cranes International and Sparrows Offshore, passed away at home on the morning of Friday 27th October 2006 after loosing his battle with cancer. He was 55.
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Ken Scott

Scott joined Sparrows Offshore in 1980, becoming chief executive from 1986 to 2004, and is credited with being the driving force behind the development of a business which now employs 1500 people.

As sales manager from 1980, he conceived the company’s ‘crane management’, service concept under which Sparrows assumes total responsibility for the safe operation, maintenance, modification and upgrade of all a clients cranes offshore.

Scott stayed with the business through ownership by BET Plant Services and Rentokil Initial and then in 1999, led a management buy out of the business, doubling the size of the business by 2003, when it was bought by London Merchant Securities.

In March 2006, Scott received the Scottish Offshore Achievement Award for Outstanding Performance, naming Sparrows as Scotland’s outstanding business in the offshore sector that year.

Long time friend and colleague, Malcolm Wilson, who joined Sparrows in the same month as Scott and is today the company’s chief operating officer for Europe, said:
“Ken and I were friends and colleagues for over 25 years, during which time I cannot remember us ever having a cross word. His contribution to the growth of Sparrows has been immeasurable. He leaves a huge gap and will be sorely missed, both within the company and in the industry.”

He will be mourned in particular by his son, Barrie, whose mother, Liz, also died through illness at a tragically young age.