Obituary: Tony Copeland

Family, friends and colleagues have paid tribute to former Millward Brown MD Tony Copeland, who died recently aged 66 after a short illness. Copeland is credited with leading the development of the agency's international network of offices in the late 1980s and 1990s.

He was born in Essex and moved with his family in 1984 to Wellesbourne, near Leamington Spa, when he became a Director at Millward Brown. The firm's current Chairman - Global Solutions, Gordon Pincott, says Copeland became 'a driving force' in the company, which had remained based in a single UK office in its eleven years to date despite a range of international contracts. He worked with the founders, Maurice Millward and Gordon Brown, on the company's first tracking studies and then led moves into Europe from 1987, becoming MD of the international business in 1988.

It was now, says Pincott, that Copeland really made his mark, building an international network to support fast-growing business. 'He nurtured, supported and cajoled a European network into life as well as dealing with partner agencies in as far flung places as Australia, Japan and Mexico.

'Tony was renowned for his very high standards, wanting to work with the best, to make the company the best. He was always prepared to rise to a challenge and there were many who were prepared to follow him because of his intelligence, his passion and his wit. He was genuinely a pioneer and the global success of Millward Brown is in part, a consequence of his efforts.'

Copeland took early retirement in 1998 and became an active member of his local community - a dedicated parish councillor, secretary of the horticultural society and a committed member of the River Dene Flood Action group. Parish council Chairman David Johnston, quoted on www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk , said Copeland 'put the world to rights one way or another... and was really very passionate. We all knew him as enthusiastic, active, committed, and argumentative when he needed to be. We shall all miss him greatly.'

Speaking at his funeral, his son Jules said: 'A lot of people on retiring might rent an allotment and grow a few spuds and carrots. My dad bought the piece of wasteland at the end of our garden, and within two seasons had converted it into a miniature farm, complete with crop rotation patterns and an underground irrigation system that he built from scratch with his bare hands.'

Copeland, who died less than three weeks after being diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary, leaves behind a wife and two sons.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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