Home appliance manufacturer BSH has announced the death of former colleague Colin Blake, who has passed away following a very short illness.

He retired from BSH in 2014, but will be remembered as BSH UK & Ireland’s longest-serving chief financial officer (CFO) working with Uwe Hanneck to bring Bosch, Neff, Siemens and Gaggenau brands to the country.

Initially joining Linectra, a joint venture of Neff, Linde and Zanker, as an accountant in 1974, Colin Blake played a key role in the growth of the company in the following 40 years until his retirement.

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He was instrumental in establishing the BSH brands in the UK, following the creation of the BSH Home Appliance business in the UK and Ireland in the 1980s.

Following this, Colin Blake then initiated and oversaw the relocation of BSH from Hayes to its current head office location in Milton Keynes in the late 1990s.

Nathan Coburn, HR director at BSH UK & Ireland, worked with closely with Colin Blake during his time as CFO and said: “Colin was well known for his sharp wit, but also for his extraordinary business acumen, knowledge of our customers and passion for our products and brands.

“He will be fondly remembered by all those he worked with at BSH and also the wider industry.”

Former BSH CEO Uwe Hanneck, said: “Colin has been a loyal colleague and close friend of mine, but most importantly he was one of the cornerstones on which the BSH brands were built.

“His tireless dedication and enthusiasm for the BSH brands helped them achieve the market-leading position they currently have today.

“He will be sorely missed by all of his family, friends and many others in the industry and by me personally.”

Colin Blake’s family have created a tribute page and asked for donations to the Alzheimer’s Society because of its impact on his friends and family, including his Mum.