Past Master John Corneille

 
Fellow Member, Colleague and Trusted Friend

John Corneille passed away unexpectedly and suddenly in early August 2022.

John was admitted to our Company in October 2011 and clothed in our Livery in June 2013. It was not long before he joined the Court and was elected as a Warden in October 2016 before being installed as Master in October 2018.

He combined the formality of his roles with the informality of his fellowship as these two pictures show.

Throughout his time with the Company, John was actively involved in our ProBono support to charities, chairing our ProBono Committee for a number of years prior to his installation as Master. Most recently, he was the Chair of Trustees of our Charitable Fund and Chair of our Nominations Committee. Indeed, the Company was a major part of John’s life and he was certainly very engaged, particularly with our ProBono work. He was our key link with Youth Business International, our longest standing and largest client, from 2020. Most recently John was working on a major ProBono assignment with the Linnean Society and lining up for a potential assignment with the Geographical Society.

The picture to the left shows John in his element, standing alongside YBI young entrepreneurs in Mombasa.

John had connections with many Members having known them for many years going back to the mid-1970s when, as a client, he worked in Government OR, prior to joining the consulting team at Spicer and Pegler in 1984 and then Price Waterhouse, being admitted to their Partnership in 1990 and by 1994 rising to be a Divisional Partner and on the Leadership Team. He was a member of both the PW and PwC EMEA Consulting Boards, having responsibility at various times for consulting in UK, Middle East and Africa and for Emerging Markets.

Many of us regarded John as a trusted and reliable friend. There is no doubt that he will be sorely missed from a practical point of view but more so for his company. He was always great in conversation, especially over a glass of Red, the master of sparkling wit and repartee, always thoughtful, often provocative, firm in expressing his views but caring and considerate.

Further memories and recollections

In the days after John’s untimely death we asked several of John’s colleagues going right back, to give us some words that distilled John's character, his approach to life and his impact on individuals. The following Remembrances – for which we thank the contributors - are essentially verbatim, in a sequence that reflects John’s illustrious and varied career.

In the 70s he held key Operational Research roles across Government. Who knew that he advised the Royal Mint on how many coins would be required for decimalisation in 1971? – he’d have been just 23 at the time. John was regularly the principal client-side point of contact with Management Consulting teams. One colleague said ‘This made a big mark on him. John found the team meetings at 4.30 on Friday afternoons quite difficult but quickly realised that they generally slid into the pub around 5.30. The experience shaped John’s career by opening his eyes to consultancy and to “working hard and playing hard”, something for which he became well known.’

Another department, another project where John was described as ‘a great colleague to work with as we secured a reputation for successfully tackling complex projects'.

Management consultancy was clearly starting to rub off on John and finally joined the dark side when he became a Management Consultant in 1984.

‘His first taste of consultancy was with Spicer & Pegler Associates, then accounting nobility in the City. The consultants did their planning over a pub lunch rather than classy dining rooms and John fitted happily into this environment. He went on to develop an illustrious career in established consulting organisations’.

As a Partner in the 1990s John was a hands-on, empathetic manager. ‘I had sold the work and John came in as Partner, adding a lot of value. After a year or so I was asked to leave the project by the client. Disaster!  But John was very supportive, his advice being “Don't worry about it, it's probably time you went and worked with other clients, and it will do you good in the long term." He was, of course, quite right.’

Another example: ‘John became my boss. So when I was looking to move on, I needed to have a conversation with him… I remember his office, with a superb view of the River Thames, and our conversation over a coffee that was easy going, thoughtful and truly supportive, even though I was the one on the move.’

Mentoring was one of John’s many talents. Describing ‘being taken under his wing’, this colleague recalls ‘his integrity, honesty, balance, and kindness. He became my career mentor and sponsor and was invaluable in shaping my career … he brought me into his leadership team, and treated me as an equal. I remember our many coaching sessions in “Sid’s” in Borough Market, over beer and bacon sandwiches!’

Another remembers John thus: ‘John always had time to listen and give advice as a personal mentor.  This, above all, is what I will miss most……’

John worked on the PW/Coopers & Lybrand merger discussions. One respondent recalled ‘the adventure … stepping into the premises of one of your greatest competitors…’  John was leading the PW practice at the time and ‘put me at ease … I was able to bring back the message that PW Consulting was intellectually capable, friendly, and welcoming, laying very solid foundations for the next round of merger discussions.’

Some coaching was more career-defining than others: ‘When I was going through the partner process, I remember John earnestly telling me to beware the pre-partner medical, because he’d been the only partner to fail it, having to wait 6 months while his liver count got back to normal!!’

Which brings us nicely to John’s great zest for life. ‘John epitomised consulting and it was always fun with him’, said one. Another described a joint retirement party ‘where we managed to clear out the Club's entire stock of the Champagne as well as a few bottles of Burgundy, John's favourite wine. A great evening all round.’ There are more recollections in this vein:

•  ‘A great lunch companion’
• ‘Always a pleasure having him with us'
• ‘A great bloke!'
• ‘John was a true professional as well as a great Bon vivant’

And finally, more recent memories: 'John really enjoyed being involved in our ProBono programme, and he served as Committee Chairman for several years’. ‘One ProBono client stands out: Romney Tweed, based in Kent, - but not that close to where he lived…. Romney were aiming to restore a traditional craft in the area and help rebuild the local economy. John helped them to set up as a CIC, to move into a permanent base and to build their charity. He provided them with a source of wise, consistent advice and guidance’.

So that was John...

• Lover of life,
• An empathic coach,
• A leader
• and a sage advisor.

Someone we will all miss for a very long time.