People

Roger Cooper, vice president of Ideal Standard International’s west Europe region, has celebrated 40 years with the company this month.

To celebrate the milestone, a surprise lunch was held at the company’s head office. Roger’s family attended, along with many of his friends and colleagues from Ideal Standard.

Roger joined Ideal Standard on March 2, 1970 as an assistant to the publications officer. From there his career moved him into product management and then in 1980, he was nominated marketing director for the UK and was simultaneously appointed to the executive board. In 1987, he became sales and marketing director and was subsequently appointed managing director of the UK and Ireland in April 1994. Roger assumed his most recent position in 2007.

Over the years, Roger has been instrumental in transforming the bathroom industry with penthouse colours and then in contrast the whisper range of pastel colours, as well as playing a major role in the discontinuation of the avocado bathroom suite and seeing the company through the acquisition of Armitage Shanks from the Blue Circle Group in 1999.

“Roger’s made a fantastic contribution to Ideal Standard since he joined the company 40 years ago,” said Stephen Rounce, HD director for Ideal Standard. “His support, investment and bid to raise the standards in style over the years has attracted world famous designers and architects into the bathroom industry and helped make Ideal Standard the world class company it is today. He is a fabulous leader and puts his success down to the support and strength of his team.”

Yvonne Orgill, chief executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) added: “Roger is one of the cornerstones of our industry. It was his enthusiasm, motivation, encouragement and leadership that inspired other manufacturers to see the benefits of the association and swell the ranks of the BMA to become the voice of the bathroom industry, now recognised by government officials. Cooper led the field for the development and implementation of the world’s first industry led voluntary Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme which later went on to win a major Eco Award.”