BSH announces with sadness the death of former colleague Colin Blake, who passed away last month after a very short illness.
Colin retired from BSH in 2014 but will be remembered by many as BSH UK and Ireland’s longest serving CFO, working with Uwe Hanneck to bring the Bosch, NEFF, Siemens and Gaggenau brands into people’s homes.
Initially joining Linectra Ltd, a joint venture of NEFF, Linde and Zanker, as an accountant in 1974, Colin played a key role in the growth of the company in the following 40 years until his retirement.
He was instrumental in establishing the BSH brands in the UK following the creation of the BSH Home Appliance business in the UK and Ireland in the 1980s. Following this, Colin then initiated and oversaw the successful relocation of BSH from Hayes to its current head office location in Milton Keynes in the late 1990s.
Nathan Coburn, HR Director at BSH UK & Ireland, worked with closely with Colin during his time as CFO and said: “Colin was well known for his sharp wit, but also for his extraordinary business acumen, knowledge of our customers and passion for our products and brands.
“He will be fondly remembered by all those he worked with at BSH and also the wider industry.”
Former BSH CEO Uwe Hanneck, said: “Colin has been a loyal colleague and close friend of mine, but most importantly he was one of the cornerstones on which the BSH brands were built.
“His tireless dedication and enthusiasm for the BSH brands helped them achieve the market-leading position they currently have today. He will be sorely missed by all of his family, friends and many others in the industry and by me personally.”
Colin’s family have created a tribute page and kindly ask for donations to the Alzheimer’s Society. Colin cared greatly about dementia because of its impact on his friends and family, including his Mum.
Please join everyone at BSH in sending condolences to Colin’s family and friends at this difficult time.
