DISCUSSION Sir Adrian Cadbury CH 1929 – 2015

Given Adrian Cadbury’s record of exemplary company chairmanship over 14 years at Cadbury and at Cadbury Schweppes it was no surprise that following a series of corporate scandals the Stock Exchange and the Financial Reporting Council turned to him to chair a committee on corporate governance. His subsequent report (1992) remains the first port of call for any study of the subject. It has also been the foundation of Tomorrow’s Company’s work in this field. When asked why he had limited himself in that report to the financial aspects of corporate governance, he would always say. ‘Go and talk to the Tomorrow’s Company people: they are tackling the wider aspects’. That was typical of his generous and open attitude to others.

He argued publicly against compulsion believing that making the system work better could be done more effectively through the adoption of a set of standards or principles than through regulation – an approach which has characterised our own recommendations in this field.

Setting aside his contribution in so many areas, including  acting as a champion for family businesses and steering the development of Aston University, as a person he was remarkable for his modest way of life based on his Quaker values and for the considerable charm shown in  his many relationships with  people at all levels. We are proud to have had him as our Patron.