{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} '''Sir Austin "William" Pearce''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (1 September 1921 – 21 March 2004)<ref>“Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-19-954087-7}}</ref><ref name=GuardObit>{{cite web |title=Obituary: Sir Austin Pearce |date=2004-04-20 |website=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418234059/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/apr/20/guardianobituaries.rogercowe |archive-date=2019-04-18 |url-status=live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/apr/20/guardianobituaries.rogercowe}}</ref> was the chairman of British Aerospace from 1980 until 1987.<ref name=GuardObit/> He was educated at Devonport High School for Boys, Plymouth and the University of Birmingham.<ref>Debrett's People of Today: Ed Ellis, P 1992, London, Debrett's) {{ISBN|1-870520-09-2}}</ref>
In 1942 he left university with a degree in Chemical Engineering and joined the Petroleum Warfare Department working on incendiary devices at the same time as his doctorate.
He began his industrial career with the Agwi Petroleum Corporartion.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/sir-austin-pearce-549768.html Independent obituary]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> When this became part of Esso he rose rapidly, eventually becoming managing director in 1968.<ref>The Times, Friday, 31 January 1969; p. 23; Issue 57473; col E ''Oilmen fight ports plan''</ref> In retirement he continued to hold important posts such as the Prochancellorship of the University of Surrey.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://portal.surrey.ac.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS/NEWS/MEDIA/JUNE/26%20APRIL04.DOC |title=University of Surrey announcement |access-date=2008-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716180904/http://portal.surrey.ac.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS/NEWS/MEDIA/JUNE/26%20APRIL04.DOC |archive-date=2011-07-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Notes== <references/>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearce, Austin William}} Category:1921 births Category:Engineers from Devonport, Plymouth Category:People educated at Devonport High School for Boys Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham Category:English chief executives Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Knights Bachelor Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods Category:People associated with the University of Surrey Category:2004 deaths Category:20th-century English businesspeople
{{UK-business-bio-1920s-stub}}