Remembering Simon Bicket
Simon Bicket, our longstanding Chief Financial Officer, passed away in July 2011. His hard work and dedication to Cheapflights Media for more than 11 years helped to build it into one of the most successful global dotcoms in the travel industry.
We miss him as an exceptional colleague, friend and tireless giver to charity. Simon was a committed supporter of Carefree Northants, a charity that works to enhance the lives of adults with learning disabilities in Northamptonshire. Donations, via this page (justgiving.com/bicketcarefree), will help it continue its important work.
From 2012, Cheapflights' annual charity walk will be renamed the Simon Bicket Charity Walk.
Here, Cheapflighters past and present pay tribute to an exceptional man.
Kam Rai: "Working closely with Simon over the past six years taught me to interpret and read between the lines of messages. He was clearly impassioned about everything he did and the energy level he maintained was amazing."
David Soskin: "He was much more than a Finance Director. He was the ‘numbers rock’ on which we all depended.
His ability to digest and master long legal documentation was legendary as was his ability to control and monitor costs.
And he led from the front, showing huge enthusiasm and gritty determination to get the job done."
Paul Midgeley: "I always remember him telling me solemnly what a great institution marriage is before I got married in 2003. And something about two lines of snot in relation to small children (also accurate)."
Angela Brislo: "There were times when Simon and I didn’t see eye to eye, but he encouraged people to challenge his decisions and respected those who did. I often got told to take it away to think about why he is right and then come back if I disagreed ... which I often did, to his amusement."
John Barrington-Carver: "'Stet Fortuna Domus' – ‘Let Fortune Attend Those Who Dwell Here’ was Simon’s old school motto. His incredible work ethic and long hours, despite his commute, certainly helped ensure that fortune attended Cheapflights."
Hugo Burge: "A new verb created at Cheapflights, inspired by a certain individual: [bi-ck-et]
1. To steamroll, squish or generally push out of the way.
2. To be charmed but forget what you wanted and decide on something Simon wanted.
3. To be totally out-outmanoeuvred in a debate [sometimes argument]."
Milenko Beslic: "One thing that always amazed me was that if you asked him about something, he would give you his full attention and thoughtfulness, no matter how small the issue was."
Shaun Belgrave: "During our meetings we would sometimes have a difference of opinion on how to move forward. We would both give our view points and then after some deliberation he would usually say: ‘once you’ve thought about it, let me know when I am right’."
James Grant: "On the first night of the 2011 charity walk I shared a room with Simon. We had a good chat about fishing and walking and found that we had a good few things in common - not least our taste for the odd tequila. He was a courteous and gentle man who I respected enormously. Goodbye Simon. I’ll see you on the river sometime... "
Suzi Rigden: "He probably didn’t know this but over time he certainly taught me how to think more quickly under pressure and argue my corner better – as I had so much practice arguing with him!"
Shaun Simons: "It will be impossible to fill the huge void at Cheapflights. It cannot feel the same now, but strangely Simon’s legacy will be one that drives every person he has worked with here to just get on with it and make it work. Simon was a great believer in people, and those people will do all they can to make Simon proud of what he put in place."
Darragh Smyth: "When Simon came up with some crazy idea or contrary point of view, you knew deep down he was probably right, you just hadn’t caught up with him yet. One of the smartest people I’ve ever met."
Sarah Hanan: "One of my clearest memories of Simon was his ability to have a full conversation with you while running backwards up the road to catch his train. Once started, he would complete the conversation and then turn and disappear into the tube station! Quite an art not to (a) fall over or (b) knock someone else over...