Edinburgh Napier University Chancellor Will Whitehorn has been awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of his outstanding services to the aerospace and space industry.
Will has been a pioneering force in the commercialisation and advancement of the UK space industry. He is best known for his role as the founding President of Virgin Galactic, where he led the development of the world’s first commercial space tourism venture.
He was instrumental in transforming Sir Richard Branson’s vision into a structured business model, and later served as a special advisor to Branson and as a trustee of Virgin Unite, the group’s social entrepreneurship and environmental foundation.
Will is also Chair of Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC, the world’s first publicly listed and largest space technology investment fund.
He has also been a Non-Executive Board Director with the Royal Air Force (2018–2021), President of UKspace (2019–2024), a Member of the UK Space Exploration Advisory Committee (2022–2024), and Chair of Clyde Space Ltd.
In 2021, Will succeeded photographer David Eustace as Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier.
He said: “I am deeply honoured by this award and very grateful to everyone I have worked with over the decades for their support. Space really is ‘The Final Frontier’ and industrialising in space and seeing it as the place for our dirty data centres and a source of limitless solar power is the only way humankind will ever get to net zero.
“I will remain a champion of both space exploration and industrial endeavour as long as I am lucky enough to remain on this planet and even if I one day manage to leave it!
“Education is the key to understanding the technological opportunities up in space and I am proud to be Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University which is at the forefront of business, science, innovation and technology education in the UK. I like to feel that I am receiving this for all the future OBE recipients studying at our great University today.”
Edinburgh Napier Chair of Court Rex Tomlinson said: "This is a very well-deserved honour for a man who is really making a difference. Will's contribution to the space industry in the UK is unmatched and he has also brought that enthusiasm and energy into his role as Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier. We are all very proud of his achievement and I congratulate him on behalf of the University."