Over the last century, The Welding Institute has welcomed over 55 presidents. As well-respected experts within their respective fields, the honorary role of president, involves developing and expanding the influence of The Welding Institute.

Current President

In September 2022, Professor Dame Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS was appointed by The Welding Institute Council as president.

Baroness Brown is the first female president of The Welding Institute, representing a significant milestone in our century-long history.

Baroness Brown has made significant contributions to the STEM industry, alongside her achieving an MA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Fracture Mechanics. She has accrued expertise in her field leading to her achieving many accolades in recognition including the Grunfeld,  John Collier, Lunar Society, Constance Tipper, Bengough, Kelvin and Leonardo da Vinci medals; as well as the Erna Hamburger Prize and the 2012 President's Prize of the Engineering Professors' Council. These contributions are not limited to academic and professional but also philanthropic, with her involvement in chairing the Science and Technology Select Committee, the Carbon Trust, STEM Learning Ltd and the Adaptation Committee of Climate Change Committee.

Whilst also gaining knowledge in her field, she has shared her expertise with students and peers; with preceding roles including a decade spent as the Vice-Chancellor of Aston University, being the Principal of the Engineering Faculty at Imperial College, London, and holding senior business and engineering posts at Rolls-Royce plc.

Term of office	Name
1923-1925	Sir R Rylands-Bart
1925-26	Charles Bingham
1926-28	Professor F C Thompson
1928-29	Lewis J Yeoman
1929-30	A L Haggerty
1930-31	L M Fox
1931-32	W R J Britten
1932-33	A E Shorter, MBE
1933-34	E A Atkins
1934-35	C W Hill
1935-37	Sir Alexander Gibb GBE, CB
1937-42	Sir William Larke, KBE
1942-44	Sir Ralph Freeman
1994-46	W W Watt, CBE
1946-47	A Dyson
1947-48	J L Adam CBE
1948-49	J H Patterson
1949-50	O V S Bulleid, CBE
1950-51	C S Milne
1951-52	Howard J Thompson
1952-54	A Robert Jenkins JP
1954-55	R G Braithwaite
1955-56	R G Weddell
1956-58	Sir Charles S Lillicrap, KCB, MBE
1958-59	J Strong
1959-60	E Seymor-Semper
1960-61	E Fuchs
1961-62	H West
1962-63	W Barr, OBE
1963-65	L Redshaw
1965-66	Prof J G Ball
1966-67	Nicol Gross
1967-68	J F Lancaster
1968-71	Sir Kenneth Hague
1971-73	Prof Sir John Baker, OBE FRS
1973-75	A Robert Jenkins, CBE JP
1975-77	Sir Ralph Freeman, CVO, CBE
1977-79	Sir Leonard Redshaw
1979-81	M M Pennell, CBE, FRS
1981-83	Sir Dennis Rooke, CBE, FRS, FEng
1983-85	Sir Hugh Ford, FRS, FREng
1985-87	D R Lomer, CBE
1987-89	Rt Hon Lord Gregson
1989-90	Sir Monty Finniston, FRS, FEng
1991-93	Sir Robert Easton, CBE
1993-95	J G Collier
1995-98	Prof Sir B Crossland, CBE, FRS, FEng
1998-00	Professor B G Neal, FEng
2000-02	Prof B Mellitt, FREng
2002-04	Prof R Boucher, CBE, FREng
2004-06	Prof M F Burdekin, FREng FRS FWeldI
2006-08	Rt Hon the Lord Trefgarne PC
2008-11	Richard Sadler FREng FWeldI
2011-2014	John Baxter, FREng FRSE FWeldI
2014 - 2016	Bertil Pekkari HonFWeldI
2017 - 2019	Steve Dearden
2019 - 2022	Dave Holmes
2022 - current	Baroness Brown DBE FRS FRAeS FInstP CEng FREng