I first met Paul over a beer one Sunday lunchtime with Mike Bentley at a squash club in north London in 1978  (Paul wasn’t playing, but I had been). At that time we were competitors, but both our businesses were very small then. We maintained a friendly competition, as well as inter-company darts challenges at local London pubs – not always so friendly – what we did back then! Subsequently we cooperated on some parts of the business in UK and continental Europe, while competing in other areas. He was building Traneuro and I was running northAmerican, UK. More importantly, we became friends.

Paul had a passion for the international moving industry (and the many great people in it) beyond anyone else I have ever met. He built a great business with Transeuro, that was was the envy of many competitors, me included. At that time (when I was running northAmerican in the US), we were competitors, but we always maintained contact and we were always friends on a personal level.

In later years, we continued to compete, until I retired from the international relocation business in 2003. Later, Paul decided to invest in Interdean/Interconex and asked me to help him turn the business around. We worked well together (not always in 100% agreement, but that’s healthy partnerships!) were successful in resurrecting that business, redefining it and moving it forward.

I am fortunate to have considered Paul a friend for many decades. If I was to remember one thing about him, it would be his resilience and single minded fortitude to keep moving forward no matter what challenges he faced. He never complained about any challenges that he might be facing. As many of his friends know, he had multiple health issues, but he never complained. More so, he didn’t want anyone to know!..  My view was that Paul had “nine lives” and I thought (hoped) that he still had a few left. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

I feel fortunate to have known Paul and to have spent time with him. We always kept in touch by phone and email, as well as staying with him every time I was in London. My best/recent memory is my last UK visit when we drove to Edinburgh from London and stayed with my friends there in the summer of 2019, before COVID

I will miss you so much my friend.

Rest In Peace, Sunshine!

Ian Nicolson