Former colleagues and employees of Birmingham InternationalAirport are today saddened by the death of the former Airport
Managing Director, Sir Robert Taylor (Bob), who passed away
peacefully on Saturday 7 June 2008
.
Joe Kelly, Birmingham International Airport's Acting Managing
Managing Director, Sir Robert Taylor (Bob), who passed away
peacefully on Saturday 7 June 2008
.
Joe Kelly, Birmingham International Airport's Acting Managing
Director, said, "Bob's effervescent character and larger than life
personality made him a popular and respected businessman,
colleague and regional figure. He was able to engage with people
at all levels and achieve the best of his workforce by making time
to go out onto the floor and familiarise himself with the workforce.
Bob was instrumental in leading the Airport to the position we see
today and he will be missed by all of those who had the pleasure of
knowing, working and learning from him."Bob joined the Airport in
1974 as Assistant Director, at a time when just one million people
used the Elmdon site. He later became Airport Director in 1976 and
led the seamless transfer of the new terminal from Elmdon in 1984,
to the site we see today"
.
Two years later, in 1987, he gained the title of Managing Director
when the `Airport Company' was formed, from the wholly owned
local authority arrangement, and in 1991 hesaw through the opening
of the Eurohub; the worlds first terminal to combine domestic and
international passengers. By the time Bob retired from the Airport
Company in 1994, more than 5 million passengers were using the
facility,placing it well and truly on the world airport map
.
Following Bob's retirement, Brian Summers took over the mantle
of Managing Director. Having worked closely with Bob for more
than 20 years, in the former West Midlands Council and at the
Airport, Brian Summers, said, "Bob was a personal inspiration
to me and I know to many other people. He was admired
throughout the aviation industry and with business friends
across the world. His contribution in putting BIA onto a
serious footing when its whole future was uncertain in the
1970s can not be overstated"
of Managing Director. Having worked closely with Bob for more
than 20 years, in the former West Midlands Council and at the
Airport, Brian Summers, said, "Bob was a personal inspiration
to me and I know to many other people. He was admired
throughout the aviation industry and with business friends
across the world. His contribution in putting BIA onto a
serious footing when its whole future was uncertain in the
1970s can not be overstated"
.
On retiring from the Airport, Bob told the Airport workforce
that managing the company had been something of a crusade
for him as he had been at the Airport's opening ceremony in
1939 with his father. He said it had given him enormous
pleasure and fulfilment along the way and Birmingham Airport
had an excellent future ahead with the superb team of people
who had supported him along the way
that managing the company had been something of a crusade
for him as he had been at the Airport's opening ceremony in
1939 with his father. He said it had given him enormous
pleasure and fulfilment along the way and Birmingham Airport
had an excellent future ahead with the superb team of people
who had supported him along the way
.
Birmingham International Airport's Chairman, John Hudson,
added, "Such fondness and respect is expressed by those who
worked with Bob for his tremendous contribution in developing
the Midlands premier Airport that we see today. Bob was one
of the guiding spirits that set the Airport on its way and
we are very sorry by the sad news of his death"
added, "Such fondness and respect is expressed by those who
worked with Bob for his tremendous contribution in developing
the Midlands premier Airport that we see today. Bob was one
of the guiding spirits that set the Airport on its way and
we are very sorry by the sad news of his death"
.
Bob held the role of Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of
West Midlands from November 1993 until 2006, when
he retired early due to health problems
West Midlands from November 1993 until 2006, when
he retired early due to health problems
.
He would have been 76 next Saturday, June 14, and
he and his wife, Sheila, had been married for 50 years
he and his wife, Sheila, had been married for 50 years
.
Monday 9 June 2008