Almost 30 years ago I embarked on the single most fruitful of all my many business relationships with a certain distinguished General Foods leader and Harvard Business School MBA – Bob Seelert.

Brought in to rescue Saatchi & Saatchi following the exit of the founding Saatchi brothers – Maurice and Charles – Bob took the helm of the parent company which also included some other well-known Agency brands the brothers had acquired.

I was fortunate enough to be chosen by Bob to operate the jewel in the crown – Saatchi & Saatchi – not the biggest Ad Agency brand in the world, but the most famous, especially in its original London home where Saatchi & Saatchi was the only Ad Agency name to be recognised by the general public.

Bob and I had the perfect Chair / CEO relationship.  As Chair, Bob took the lead on the Board, shareholders, governance and external shareholders – he ran the Company.  As CEO, I ran the Business.

He provided me with unconditional love, counsel and support.  (And wrote a great book – Start With The Answer …).

Over time, Bob retired and I took the reins as Chairman/CEO and then Executive Chairman with Robert Senior taking over the hands-on running of the business.

As part of “my life with Bob”, I used to make a monthly pilgrimage to his home in New Canaan where his childhood sweetheart – wife Sarah – would make me welcome amidst the pile of papers I would bring with me to seek Bob’s wisdom / experience / advice.  And it was always just that.  Never an instruction – always a principled piece of advice – with no judgement, just support. 

All these golden memories came flooding back last week when Trudy and I went up to spend a day of nostalgia and memories with 84 year old Bob and Sarah – still in their lovely New Canaan home.  Still together, still in love.

The great philosopher (!) Yogi Berra famously said “Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be”.

It is.

Thank you Bob – for always being there for me.

See you in Summer.