Sudden Death of South Wales Business Advisor

12 Oct 2007

 

It is with great sadness that we report that our colleague Mike Neyland, one of the best known figures in Wales’ business support sector, has died suddenly at the age of 63. 

 

As a senior advisor with Venture Wales Mike, who was from Swansea, assisted in the setting up and expansion of hundreds of new businesses across South Wales over recent years.

 

His work in supporting these new enterprises was the latest phase in a distinguished career which encompassed many different areas of business.

 

He started out as chemical engineer and was part of the team which directed the set up and development of UK and European operations by Standard Oil of Indiana - Amoco. 

 

Mike later gained an MBA in Finance Marketing & International Business at the Graduate School of Business – University of Chicago before commencing thesis work at the Harvard Business School.  He subsequently developed a track record with International Strategic Management Consultants including the Cambridge Research Institute, Boston Consulting Group and CMLA.  Mike was also on the Investment Committee of Swansea Trade and Industry for many years. 

 

He was involved in a number of successful businesses in the UK before entering the academic world as one of the founders of the MBA course at Swansea Business School where he taught strategic management and marketing.   His hundreds of students in Wales and Finland will remember him for his sharp intellect and style of teaching which stimulated thinking and reading.  

 

Over the past five years with Venture Wales, Mike used his experience and knowledge to help hundreds of firms start up and grow. He was known for his ability to undertake the most complex assignments and give new entrepreneurs his unstinting support often to the detriment of his own personal time.    He was not one for bureaucracy or form filling but sought to address the clients’ needs. 

 

Phil Cooper, director of Venture Wales said: “Mike was a most valued and respected colleague whose intellect was far greater than his ego.  He was an endearing character who was one of the most cerebral and strategic thinkers of our team.  He will be sadly missed by all of us at Venture Wales and also the many hundreds of clients and students he has helped over the years.   Our deepest sympathies go to his partner Uta and his family on his untimely death.”