Patrick Benson Dies Age 89

Patrick Benson was a trailblazer in the healthcare communications industry, but also left a significant personal impression on those he met- being described as ‘one of the nicest men in PR’.

Benson grew up in Cheshire but was born in Glasgow. He became lieutenant in the Parachute Regiment of the army after leaving school at age 16. He was deployed during the Second Arab Israeli war in the 1950s.

After moving on from the army, his direction shifted to include PR, marketing, and advertising. He had experience working for established companies like Alberto-Culver, McCormick Richards and Bririshh fashion designer Mary Quant.

In the 70s he stuck out on his own, working for Boots on the product portfolio for No7 before becoming the brains behind the companies release of Nurofen in the 80s.

Alongside Margot James, Benson began Shire Health PR which soon became the UK’s largest HealthComm’s business. It was taken over by WPP just before the turn of the century.

An employee of his from the 80s, Jessica Storr, described him as a “legend. “I remember one day at about 3pm he waltzed into the office. Cradling many Champagne bottles. Clanking away. ‘Stop work, girls,’ he said. ‘It’s time for Champagne!’ And we did!”

Jackie Elliot, chair of Cathcart Consulting, said “He was a mentor to many and was one of those people who didn’t mind picking up the phone to other people on behalf of someone he’d only just met and making things happen for somebody else younger or just coming into the business.”

Benson’s former business partner, Margot James, said “He was a remarkable man in so many ways. He had a very, very good understanding of consumer behaviour allied to a streak of creative brilliance, which made him a formidable marketeer.”