I was very sorry to hear Philip has died. It’s the end of an era. I was lucky to join PJB in the early days, when employee numbers were still quite small and the publications and company were growing fast. One of Philip’s best points was that he was willing to take a chance on people – I had only been at PJB for 12 months when he asked me to go to New York to set up an editorial office there.

New York was great fun for someone in their twenties, and so was the work. Philip demanded the highest standards of accuracy and integrity in our reporting, which meant people were willing to talk to me and were often marvellously indiscreet. I spent a very happy three years in America and saw much of the country.

If I’d been in Philip’s place, I’m not sure whether I’d have had the courage to send out a relatively green reporter to cover the world’s leading market. But he obviously knew what he was doing, as shown by the success he made of his business. It’s a world that has now gone, thanks to the rise of the internet and the lack of people with Philip’s acumen. I was fortunate and privileged to work for PJB when I did.