Tribute paid to Vertu founder director Bill Teasdale

Vertu Motors chief executive Robert Forrester has paid tribute to fellow founder director William Teasdale after he dies following a short illness.

Forrester announced the passing of Teasdale, at the age of 79, in a short message published via social media.

Taking to Twitter to announce the news, Forrester said: “It is with great sadness that we learnt this morning of the passing of our founding director and first chairman, Bill Teasdale after a period of illness.

“Bill had a positive influence on everyone he met and Vertu would not have existed without him. It is a very sad day.”

Forrester and Teasdale worked together at Reg Vardy before they both left following the group’s 2006 takeover by Pendragon.

In December of that year, 15 years ago, the pair embarked on a tour of more than 40 financial institutions to negotiate financial backing for their new venture – Vertu Motors.

Teasdale, non-executive chairman at the time, had been a Vardy non-executive director and its audit committee chairman.

He became a non-executive director of Vertu in March 2007 and remained in position until his retirement in May, 2017.

Responding to Forrester's social media post with his own tribute, former PwC partner Bill McLeod said: "Bill was an exceptional senior partner of PwC Newcastle and will be sadly missed by all the staff and clients who worked with him."