London - We are saddened to report the sudden death of David Campbell, former chief executive officer with British Vita Group, from 2001 to 2005. He died on Monday 29 Nov having suffered a heart attack.
Campbell joined Vita in 1974 as a graduate trainee in the personnel department at Middleton, just north pf Manchester in England's northwest. He became personnel manager for Vitafoam, the UK's largest manufacturer of foam slabstock for the furniture industry, and later moved into general management leading Vitafoam in the UK and, in the late 1990s, heading Vita's US foam operations.
He was appointed to the Board of British Vita plc in January 1999 becoming managing director in January 2000 and chief executive in November 2001 until the time of the group's £668-million acquisition by private equity firm Texas Pacific Group in 2005.
Speaking about David, current Vita group CEO Joe Menendez said "Although I never had the opportunity to meet David, he was enormously well-liked by those who worked with him. His former colleagues and friends have been shocked and saddened by his sudden passing. He will be remembered as a knowledgeable and approachable leader. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time."
Following the TPG takeover of Vita, Campbell left the company and in November 2005 he became a member of the management board of Fenner plc, a leader in reinforced polymer technology and one of the world's leading producers of heavyweight belting using PVC, fabric and steel reinforced rubber based in Hessle, near Hull. He was a non-executive director and chairman of the firm's remuneration committee
Colin Cooke, Fenner's chairman, said "his loss will be deeply felt by everyone who worked with David in the company and he will be much missed. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this very sad time.
"He was a much liked and respected man. He had served the company well over the last five years and will be sorely missed by all his colleagues."
In 2007, he also joined Zotefoams, the speciality maker of cross-linked polyolefin foams, as an independent non-executive director of Zotefoams and chair of its remuneration committee.
Nigel Howard, chairman of Zotefoams, said, issued a statement saying, "we are truly sorry to hear of David's sudden death. David has made an important contribution to the company since his appointment in 2007 and we will miss him, not just as a director but also as a wonderful person. Our best wishes and condolences are to his family at this difficult time."
David was born and brought up in Oldham and lived there until leaving Vita in 2005 when he moved to York to be close to members of his family. He is survived by his wife Sylvia and two daughters.
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