Ex-ICI chief is mourned
Jan 11 2008 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette
TRIBUTES have been paid to “adopted Teessider”, former ICI chief Sir John Harvey-Jones, who has died after a long illness.
Sir John, who was 83, spent almost his entire working life at ICI - with early days based at Wilton - becoming chairman in 1982.
Within two years of taking the helm he had turned around the company’s fortunes, and in 1984 ICI became the first British company to post more than £1bn in full-year pre-tax profits.
He remained chairman until 1987 but went on to become well known for his BBC show Troubleshooter, in which he advised struggling businesses.
Londoner Sir John was known to many as “an adopted Teessider”.
He joined ICI in 1956 after 15 years in the Royal Navy. He began his career at Wilton as an £800-a-year grade two works study officer, but quickly rose through the ranks, becoming chairman of ICI Heavy Organic Chemicals division in 1971.
He was appointed deputy chairman of ICI in 1978 and the flambouyant business boss took the top job as chairman 1981 - a post he held until 1987.
He returned to Teesside almost 10 years ago to officially launch a book celebrating 50 years of the Wilton chemical complex.
Terry Waldron, ICI’s spokesman on Teesside, said: “Sir John was a giant of British industry and a giant of manufacturing here on Teesside. He will be sadly missed by many of those who remember him here.
“I met him on several occasions, both as a reporter and as an ICI press officer, and he was a courteous and charming man who had time for everyone.”
Bill Perfitt, UK director of public relations with SABIC, met Sir John soon after joining ICI as editor of the WIlton News in 1983.
“He was a giant of a man and someone who was incredibly well like and respected here on Teesside.
“He was the sort of person that once you’d met him, you’d then be on first name terms - he had an incredible memory for names.
“He spent a lot of his formative years on Teesside, where he made his name.
“He was an absolute gentleman.”
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