Jan Ward CBE
BSc Mech Eng, MIEx (GRAD) , FRSA

Jan has more than 30 years’ experience in the oil gas petrochemical and power industry. From a mechanical engineering background, Jan has lived and worked in several countries, but has a special interest in the Middle East.

She is founder and CEO of Corrotherm International Ltd, which she started with no capital from her bedroom, in her home town of Southampton. The company has since grown to 10 offices globally today, selling to 60 countries. Corrotherm specialises in supplying advanced materials for fabricating oil, gas and power generating equipment.

Jan has been involved in international trade since the outset of her career, she has always been a highly enthusiastic promoter of manufacturing and international trade as an economic driver for prosperity globally. 

Throughout her career she been a supporter of women into business and was the first woman Director of the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce in the UK. Jan is also a past Director of Woman in Business International and she has promoted women in manufacturing and engineering in addition to mentoring young business women for many years. She has also been A Director of the Energy Industries Council, the leading membership organisation in the energy industry. 

Jan has given many voluntary hours as an advisor to government on the subject of international trade and manufacturing, culminating in joining the Board of the ministry of International Trade as a Non Executive Director in 2013 and stepping down from that post in 2016.  

In the last 8 years Jan has been closely involved as a judge in the UK Manufacturer of the Year Award and was voted an Exemplar Top 100 Manufacturer by her peers. She also served as a judge for the Nat West Everywoman award and was a judge for the Queens Award for Enterprise for 5 years. 

Jan has won a number of business awards among them Nat West Businesswoman of the Year, Institute of Directors Global Director of the Year and in 2015 was awarded a CBE in the Queens New Year’s Honours list for services to business. 

She was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering by Southampton Solent University the same year.

Jan is currently a Director of the UAE-UK Business Council and member of its Advisory Committee and holds a number of Non Executive posts with manufacturing business and writes regularly for technical and business journals