‘We have lost an extraordinary citizen’: A tribute to a Leamington great, Maurice Millward

Few people leave truly lasting legacies. Maurice Millward was one such person. He died on January 6, aged 94. With his passing, Leamington has lost an extraordinary citizen.

Maurice was one of those rare people who create wealth through innovation. Then give away much of it. From his eponymous market research agency to being one of the first businesses to sell classical music online, his passions fuelled business success in areas where others more often failed. He really was a visionary.

His arrival into this world was not easy. Born into the 1930’s depression, his parents left Wales to bring him up in the south-east of England. They had met at a local Labour party meeting in the outskirts of Cardiff. Whenever he would regale others about this uncertain start in life, his eyes would light up.

When Maurice was young, his father got a new job and they moved north. Growing up in Sheffield he did well at school before going on to study History at Oxford. As a graduate, he would join Reckitt and Colman in Hull (now Reckitt Benckiser) where he worked marketing household products. “It was”, he would later say, “all rather dull!”

Uninspired by cleaning products and their ilk, he left the corporate business with his then colleague, Gordon Brown, and together they set up the market research agency, Millward Brown. It was the late 60s and both television and advertising were starting their boom. The firm would specialise in tracking TV advertising performance. They would also predict advertising performance making them popular not just with marketing directors but finance directors too.

One of their first decisions was to locate the business: Leamington Spa was chosen and so started one of the area’s most successful businesses. Some of their early clients included Cadbury’s and Peugeot and these proved foundational to their success. Clients had a competitive edge. And Leamington gained from the hundreds employed there.

Such was the regard for their research methods that the company built its reputation not just here in the UK but also abroad. It was their expansion into the US and other markets of which Maurice was most proud.

In 1989 they sold the business to WPP which under Sir Martin Sorrell would become the world’s largest marketing agency. Research was an important service that WPP wanted to offer to clients and so MB was folded into Kantar Millward Brown. The two founders would remain involved until 1992.

A more recent CEO of the company, Eileen Campbell, said she was “deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Millward Brown’s iconic founder, Maurice Millward. Along with Gordon Brown, Maurice founded what would become one of the world’s most influential market research firms - one that I was proud to lead for several years.”

Lynne Deason is the Head of Creative Excellence at Kantar and reflected on Maurice’s impact on the industry:

“Millward Brown became one of the world’s most influential research organisations thanks to their pioneering understanding of advertising, brands, and human behaviour. The concepts and thinking he developed continue to influence modern marketing and remain integral to how organisations create connections that resonate, endure, and matter.

Maurice’s impact extended far beyond the industry he transformed. His passion for music was far more than a hobby. He saved Presto Music in Leamington Spa and he championed musicians and organisations through generous support — including the CBSO, Chris Yates’ Principal Viola seat, Music in the Round, and Leamington Music.

Maurice’s greatest contribution was human, it came from who he was as a person: he championed young talent, uplifted colleagues, and brought insight, warmth, and curiosity to everything he touched.

His lifelong commitment to ideas, creativity, and people leaves an enduring legacy. His influence continues to shape modern marketing, the cultural communities he enriched, and the lives of those he touched personally and professionally.”

Today, Kantar remains on Tachbrook Park, almost 60 years on from when Millward Brown was first established in the town.

Beyond his work-life, Maurice Millward had a passion for life which included wine and food, music, the Lake District, France and Fulham Football Club more or less in that order!

Too early and too energetic to retire, he found a hobby. A retail music business was struggling, and he saw it as his mission to save it. Presto Classical (now Presto Music) was then in Portland Street and whilst it had a great local reputation, he believed it had huge potential.

It was the early 2000s and the DotCom bubble had burst. The public wasn’t yet ready for online shopping and many ventures crashed. However, he believed that online sales could transform the business. Although retail was not his specialism nor was the internet, the small business, underwritten by his love for classical music, survived.

As Chris O’Reilly, CEO of Presto Music, put it, “The first Presto website went live in August 2001 and received a mighty eight orders in the remainder of that year! Despite the slow start, the timing proved perfect...and we were on our way to building the online side of the business into what it has become today.”

Chris added: “Maurice’s support for music extended far beyond Presto. He believed profoundly in enabling musicians and organisations.

He provided significant philanthropic support to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) and sponsored the seat of Chris Yates, the CBSO’s Principal Viola (his favourite instrument in the orchestra). He also funded concerts at Music in the Round in Sheffield and at Leamington Music.”

His love of music saw him sponsor local music concerts and opera. He supported Glyndebourne, Leamington Music and the WAGS gang show. This only scratches the surface of Maurice’s commitment to the arts and his adopted home of Leamington Spa.

Richard Phillips, the now retired director of Leamington Music Festival summed up his contribution as follows:

“Maurice was a remarkable man with a range of interests to which he brought such energy and enthusiasm. In particular he was an outstanding supporter of the arts, above all benefiting Warwick and Leamington, Birmingham, Sheffield and Glyndebourne. How lucky I was to meet him nearly forty years ago and he subsequently gave crucial support to the work I was doing for Warwick Arts Society and since 2006 Leamington Music. His generosity extended to invitations to Glyndebourne and other concerts where over a meal Veronica and I enjoyed his and Sheila’s company so much. We miss them and their friendship.”

Helen Beecroft, the Artistic Director of Leamington Music, also reflected on Maurice’s dedication to the organisation:

“Maurice Millward was a man in a million. His philanthropy and fervent championship of classical music knew no bounds, born out of a conviction that it should be accessible to everyone. It is fair to say that Leamington Music would not be the same without Maurice’s support, both for the music itself and for all that goes on behind the scenes to bring concerts to life. We were proud to be able to programme several of Maurice’s commissioned compositions in Leamington and our audience’s musical experience has been all the richer thanks to him.”

The former MP for Warwick and Leamington from 1997-2010, James Plaskitt, knew Maurice well and reflects on his enthusiasm for all he approached:

“Nobody campaigned quite like Maurice. When I was contesting the election in 1997, Maurice brought an infectious and amusing enthusiasm to the team - at volume! Whether canvassing by phone or on the doorsteps, his results would be boomed out for all to hear. It was his own unique brand of team building.

He was always a source of wise and thoughtful counsel during my time in office. He acknowledged achievements, although they came at a slower pace than he wanted, and where he disagreed, he did it most agreeably. With his breadth of experience and business achievements, he was a voice that counted, as well as one that could be easily heard.

Where Maurice had an enthusiasm, he would apply it effectively, not just in local politics but also in business and in his enormous contribution to the local music scene. Now, whenever I browse around in the music store he established in Leamington, I always remember his sense of excitement and urgency.”

Maurice was never recognised for his achievements through a knighthood, nor did he receive any other honours despite his significant contributions both economic and charitable. This tribute outlines just some of his contributions to our towns and community and paints a picture of a man I feel lucky to have known.

Maurice was not just a generous man. He was a gentleman and a gentle man too.

His second wife, Sheila, an accomplished artist, passed away in 2019. Maurice is survived by three daughters, two sons and many grandchildren who will miss him deeply.