Businessman transformed firm’s fortunes

WHEN Richard Cousins took charge of Compass in 2006, the company’s reputation was in tatters. A year before Jamie Oliver, the celebrity chef, lambasted the catering business for serving Turkey Twizzlers to schoolchildren.

Mr Cousins set about transforming it into the world’s biggest catering brand. Compass is now worth £25billion. He was well rewarded for his work. Last year Mr Cousins was paid £5.6million as chief executive, including a basic salary of £1.1million, a £1.5million bonus and £2.7million in share awards.

By the time of his death, Compass employed more than half a million people worldwide and was the 20th largest company on the FTSE-100 index.

Dominic Blakemore, who had already been appointed as Mr Cousins’s replacement as Compass chief executive, said he was “stunned and upset”.

Mr Blakemore said: “For the past six years Richard has been a friend and mentor to me. He combined Yorkshire grit with a wonderful sense of humour. It was his ability to lead and inspire his colleagues around the world that made Compass the success it is today. We will miss him terribly.”