Richard Paniguian

This article is part of the Revolving Door project of Spinwatch.

Sir Richard Paniguian (28 July 1949 – 25 June 2017) was a former UK senior civil servant who headed the UK Trade and Investment's Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) from 2008 until February 2015.

Paniguian was appointed board chairman of Raytheon just over a year after resigning from the civil service. He died suddenly in June 2017.

He was also a former high ranking BP executive.

BP

Paniguian worked for BP for 37 years until 2008. In the 1980s he held the roles of commercial director in the Middle East, head of international oil trading in New York and head of capital markets in London, in the 1990s he was director of BP Europe, chief executive of BP shipping and head of gas development in the Middle East and Africa and in 2001 he was appointed group vice president for Russia, the Caspian, Middle East and Africa, where he was 'responsible for developing and delivering BP's growth strategy in these regions. During his time at BP he played a leading role in support of the TNK-BP joint venture in Russia, delivering the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline project, driving for new gas exploration in Libya, Egypt and Oman and in completing BPs first oil project in Angola.

Revolving door

From civil service defence role to business

The importance of Paniguian's DESO experience and contacts was noted by Raytheon UK's chief executive Richard Daniel in the announcement of his appointment: “Sir Richard joined the Raytheon UK board as a non-executive director in September 2015 following several years as the head of UK Trade and Investment’s Defence and Security Organisation, where he developed considerable expertise in aerospace, defence and security exports,” said Richard Daniel, Chief Executive and Managing Director, Raytheon UK. “He has a wealth of connections and unrivalled experience in defence exports and will chair the board at a time when the company is pursuing a wide range of international business opportunities and expanding its footprint in the UK.”

From BP to UK government

In August 2008 Paniguian was appointed head of UK trade and investment defence and security organisation (UKTI DSO:

"The Head, UKTI DSO ensures that UKTI DSO’s teams give outstanding support to UK defence and security companies who want to export. He also helps defence and security businesses overseas to invest in the UK."

Paniguian was paid between £195,000-£199,000 for his role.

In January 2015 it was announced Paniguian would step down within the month, with a successor to be announced by the end of the month.

A later biography noted that Paniguan had 'broadened DSO’s support to the defence industry by developing new international markets and in 2013 achieved a record of £13 billion in sales.'

Awards

• Awarded a CBE for service to business in 2007
• Knighted in the 2015 New Years honours list for 'services to the UK Defence Industry'.