As some of you may have heard, KMP Digitata’s Chairman and co-founder Bill Daring passed away on the 27th December following a short battle with cancer.
He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.
Bill had retired from day-to-day involvement with the business due to his health earlier in the year but the company will continue to be run to the ideals that he and CEO Jon Keefe developed over the course of their long business partnership here at KMP and previously with 80s advertising agency Burgess Daring.
Since the word got out about Bill’s death I have been so grateful to receive the many messages of condolence and the many brilliant stories that people have about Bill. It’s heart-warming and comforting to me to see how well liked and respected he was by so many people. Everyone, it seems, has a Bill story. Please feel free to share these in the comments section.
Bill’s funeral will take place on Monday 11th of January 2010. The Service of Remembrance will be at 2.45pm at St. Thomas’s Church in High Lane. All are welcome. Following the service there will be a reception at The Red Lion from 4pm.
The family ask that you don’t send flowers; tributes to Bill in the form of donations to the Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC) or Cancer Research UK would be greatly appreciated.
24 Comments
Hi Gez,
A very sad post and our sympathy to you and your family at this emotional time.
Bill was a great mentor to me and I wouldn’t be in the position that I am today without his guidance. Albeit his guidance often included him chewing my ear off! Bill taught me a hell of a lot on how to run an agency and for that I will always be grateful. He will be fondly remembered by all who have been influenced by him.
I am sorry that we will not be able to attend the service as Anita and I will be on our honeymoon. You will all be in our thoughts on that day.
All the best.
Jonathan Ward
Hi Gez,
I was so sorry to hear the news. Please pass my condolences on to Alan, Alison and the rest of the family.
I’ve known Bill since I started at KMP nearly 10 years ago. Throughout the whole of my time at KMP Bill has quite literally taught me everything I know about how to run a digital business. He was the best mentor I have ever had. Sometimes the lessons he taught were pretty tough and at the time I didn’t always agree with what he said but in the end he was always right! Moving forward I’ll be using those lessons to make sure KMP continues on to even better and greater things.
As well as a mentor though Bill was also a real friend and it for this that I will miss him most of all.
Best Regards,
Rhodri.
For many of us, Bill was a mentor and friend and I have benefited from his advice and encouragement over the years. I also shared a family link in Lonavla, India. He lived life to the full and leaves a rich legacy of anecdotes, memories and epigrams. I will miss him. Jeremy
Gez and the KMP team, gutted to hear about this terribly sad news. I only got to know Bill quite recently on our trip together to New York as part of the Digital Mission in 2008.
He was a true gentleman and as one of the more, err, senior people in the group put the youngsters to shame with his boundless enthusiasm, energy and work ethic.
It was an honour knowing him and he’ll be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with you guys.
Dear Gez and all the team at KMP
I was very sorry to hear of Bill’s death and send you my deep sympathy. During the time that I was a client of yours, I always found Bill to be inspiring, enthusiastic and someone who was very easy to deal with. I am sure he will be sadly missed by all at KMP – and especially you and the family.
Kind Regards
Sharon
This is really sad news. Our deepest condolences go to you Gez, Alan and Alison.
Bill was a really nice man and a wonderful companion. On a practical level he was a great friend and supporter of Market Sentinel – an energetic and effective business partner and it was always a pleasure to speak to him on any subject – professional or personal.
He will be sorely missed by us all.
Having just heard the sad news can I pass on my condolences to his family. I have kown Bill since he was 11 years old and it would not have been possible to organise the 2 reunions we had in 2002 and 04 without Bills drive and enthusiasm.
He will be sadly mised by us all.
Jonathan French
I’ve just heard of Bill’s death. A big shock. I’d known Bill since 1969, played rugby together and later planned our futures in the 6th form. Bill already showing his business aspirations. A very sad loss.
With fondest memories.
Malcolm (Taff) Craven
Have just heard the sad news. I was at infants, junior and senior school with Bill and will always remembers his cheeky smile and good humour.
My sincere condolences to all his family.
Mary Chicken (Locky)
I am very sad to hear the news of Bill’s death – my condolences to family, colleagues and friends who must all be missing him. It must be the best part of 20 years since we first met and I counted him as much a friend as a business colleague. I had the greatest admiration for his innovative talents and joie de vivre – I always enjoyed our irregular catch-ups and am only sorry there will be no more.
I was very sad to hear of Bill’s passing – a real shock given his effervescence in life. A genuine and enthusiastic character who helped drive real innovation in the digital market and will be missed by many.
Bill was my first ever ‘boss’, and after taking me on at KMP after my initial work experience 11 years ago (aged just 15), he was always mentoring me and giving me opportunities to learn and mature.
I’ll always be grateful for his help and friendship as I progressed through KMP and then onto pastures new.
Although it will be under the worst possible circumstances, I look forward to catching up with many friends next Monday to celebrate Bill’s life and remember the good days we all shared in his company. Thank you Bill.
What a shock! My condolences to Alison and the boys. I have known Bill since I was eleven. Our time at school, sport and scouts was always exciting! A real friend – we would not speak for years and in 5 mins would be like yesterday. I will really miss him and his presence. Thanks for the memories Bill.
Paul Foster.
Shocked to hear of Bill’s death. I had known Bill since a teenager and got to meet up again in recent years. His boundless energy, good humour, and enthusiasm will be greatly missed but always remembered.
Peter Hutton
I was shocked this morning when I opened my E-mail to a considerable number of messages regarding Bill. I knew him since our Gilberd School days. I remember him as a cheery character always easy to get on with and very keen on his sports, a good team player at both Rugby and Cricket. Since leaving school I met Bill again through the Gilberd school reunion organising committee, must have been 2001. Much of the credit for the 2 reunions that followed was due to Bill for his drive and energy to achieve the ‘dream’ of a very well attended gathering of old school friends. Bill you will be sorely missed.
So sad to hear of Bill’s death. We were at school together and even after many years with no contact, Bill was a school mate warmly remembered. The years fell away, when we in connection with the Gilberd School reunions chatted by mail.
Always good humoured with a cheeky twinkle in his eye, but also someone you talk to seriously and confidentially.
My sincere condolences to Alison and family.
Jacqueline Falkenberg (Tolley)
We at WowSystems were very shocked and sad about the news, but right now our thoughts go to his family and friends.
Bill’s influence crossed over the Atlantic, reaching our Madeira island. It was just some months ago that he sparked the local businessmen’s interest with a conference he organized – he was igniting a revolution again, one I hope will live on.
I am particularly grateful for all the enjoyable moments I spent with Bill and for all the learning he provided me with. It was also thanks to Bill that I met some of you at KMP, and I got to know Manchester and its entrepreneurial spirit that Bill loved so much.
Thank you Bill.
I was most grieved to hear of Bill’s death. I met him some years ago in Manchester and I was much impressed with his entrepreneurial skills. It was always a pleasure to speak to him. You have the deepest sympathy of everyone on New Madeira’s staff.
What sad news !!! Bill ‘took a chance’ on me 25 years ago at Burgess Daring and I shall always be grateful for that. I remember him and all those fun times with great affection……
Very, very sad to hear the news of Bill’s death.
Hadn’t seen him for many years but always look back on my time at Burgess Daring with great affection.
Thanks for the experiences and the insights Bill.
So sorry to learn of Bill’s death, condolences to the family as he will be sadly missed. I was also at the Gilberd School with Bill and was so pleased when he and Jonathan French contacted me in 2002 for the first reunion. This was followed up by the second in 2004.
Susan Wilson (King)
This is traditionally a very sad time. On behalf of the team at Elzware I would like to say how sorry we are for this loss and our thoughts are with family and friends.
That said, Bill was a character so much full of life at this time I, who new him for a few years, can only remember the good times … spirited discussions over pasta and red wine about the future of interaction on the Internet
Bill was a visionary in our field, as well as many others. His tenacity and spirit will be missed. A glass or two will be raised in his name later today.
I am very sad to hear this news. Back in 2001 Bill took a chance on me and offered me my first proper job out of university just at the time of the dot com crash. Since then my career in the digital world has flourished and I always say that it was my 1st opportunity at KMP that allowed me to follow my dreams. I only wish I could have thanked him in person more recently and tell him all I have achieved in the years since I left Manchester.
I would like to convey my sincerest condolences to Bill’s family and the KMP team as I’m sure he’ll be surely missed.
Anirban Saha
I am very saddened to hear about Bill, we’ve had numerous meetings over the years and always got very sound advice off him for our businesses. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Bill, his knowledge and passion for the industry was undoubtedly the greatest I’ve encountered.
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