Close
Born on 4th January 1932 in India, where his family lived for 25 years, John attended school in the Himalayas before attending Lancing from January 1945 to December 1949. He was a House Captain of Field’s in 1949.
Most of his working life was spent in New York and Toronto, having joined Rootes Motor Car Company in the UK as a Management Trainee in the UK at the age of 19. They then sent him to New York in 1960 for 6 weeks to do some troubleshooting. He was appointed Managing Director of their Canadian arm based in Toronto in 1965.
A move to British Motor Corp. of Canada in 1967 put John on a path of senior positions within a string of new ownership and brands such as British Leyland Motors Canada, Saab, Jaguar Rover Triumph and finally Jaguar Canada. In a meaningful and colourful career, John spent 45 years in the industry including 30 years in Canada. For his leadership as one of Canada’s longest serving automotive CEOs, and promotion of trade between Canada and Britain, he was made Commander of the British Empire by HRH The Prince of Wales in a November 1995 ceremony at Buckingham Palace. He retired as President of Jaguar Canada in 1997 after 26 years, and finally came back to the UK via Spain. He enjoyed the local community, travelled widely, maintained his interest in people, good food and wine and used his skills in volunteering at St Maryʹs Parish Church in Sunbury‐on‐Thames.
He fought a long battle with cancer with great fortitude and he spent his last days in the Princess Alice Hospice in Esher, Surrey where he passed away surrounded by loving care, peacefulness and he still maintained his sense of humour to the end. He leaves behind his wife Gloria, sister Joy (Spain), two daughters, Debbie (Michigan) and Joanna (Toronto) and stepson Jonathan (Florida).