R. Derek Finlay 1932–2026

Robert Derek Finlay, known to us all at Kingston Grammar School as Derek, died peacefully at his home in Perthshire, on 25th April, at the age of 93, just a few weeks shy of his 94th birthday.

Born on 16th May 1932 in Kew, Derek joined the School from Kew College Prep in the September of 1942. Throughout his time at KGS, he not only excelled academically but on the sports field too. He was a talented sprinter, held the school record for javelin, and captained the 1st XI hockey side. His real passion, however, was rowing, where he also captained the 1st VIII. In his book, ‘Ten to Take Her Home’ – a reference to a cox’s call to cross the finish line – he describes returning from an outing on the water with his crew to see a man, standing beside a white Rolls-Royce, wearing a wide-brimmed fedora, watching them with interest. That man was none other than renowned author and KGS alumnus R.C. Sherriff, who went on to coach the young rowers. After one particularly successful regatta, Sherriff even had the curtain held for the opening performance of one of his plays in the West End so that Derek and his crew could arrive well fed and take their seats with him to enjoy the performance. It was a moment Derek remembered fondly for the rest of his life.

Being captain of both senior hockey and rowing were not the only distinctions that made Derek a hard act to follow. He was made a School Prefect in 1948 and was School Captain in both 1949 and 1950. It was said that the then Head Master, Edward “Jimmy” James, would not enter the assembly hall until Derek had made sure the whole school had descended into silence, which they did in an instant. Derek left KGS in 1950, carrying with him the foundations of a life that was to be defined by leadership, service and global engagement. He went on to read Law and Economics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, before undertaking National Service as a Captain in The Gordon Highlanders, an experience he said shaped his sense of responsibility and purpose.

Derek often attributed his successful professional life to his education at Kingston Grammar School. His long and distinguished career spanned management consulting, global food manufacturing and leadership roles in major transatlantic organisations, from Mobil Oil, through 18 years at McKinsey & Company, to H. J. Heinz Company, first as Managing Director of Heinz UK and later as Senior Vice President at the company’s global headquarters in Pittsburgh. Along with his partner in commerce, Tony O’Reilly, he was responsible for taking Heinz into China, and wherever he went in the world always made sure that Heinz Tomato Ketchup was on the table. It will come as no surprise that this loyalty extended to his UK retirement dinner where the starter course was Heinz Baked Beans on toast. After returning to the UK, ostensibly to retire, Derek

spent three years in the textile industry, becoming Chairman of Dawson International PLC. Throughout his career he was widely known for his analytical clarity, strategic insight, and ability to guide organisations through complex transitions.

Outside the corporate world, Derek contributed his expertise in board and advisory roles for numerous cultural and international organisations including the London Committee of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, the US-China Business Council, the US-Korea Business Council, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, and the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.

Derek remained deeply connected to Kingston Grammar School, and spoke often of the teachers who shaped him, especially those who encouraged him to think independently and to question assumptions, traits that later made him so effective at McKinsey and Heinz. His later life was spent happily in Scotland, where he lived for nearly thirty years, enjoying the beautiful landscape along with tennis, rowing, music and theatre, passions that all had their roots in his school days.

Derek married Una on 30th June 1956, having first met aged only 16 at a school dance organised between KGS and Surbiton High, where Una attended. They were together for 67 years, until Una’s death in 2016, after which Derek became a benefactor of Cambridge University’s Centre for Misfolding Diseases, and their research into Alzheimer’s, opening the Una Finlay Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility for studying neurodegenerative disorders.

This philanthropic philosophy was very much in evidence in Derek’s association with KGS. In 1991 he opened the Finlay Gallery, which to this day remains the vibrant heart of the Art and DT departments. This was followed by the Finlay Hockey Pitch in 2001. We were honoured to welcome Derek back to KGS as a Governor, and the School benefited hugely from his experience, leadership and commitment to excellence.

Perhaps Derek’s most important contribution to Kingston Grammar School was, however, the more recent establishment of the R D Finlay Endowment Fund, that has provided Bursary Awards to dozens of KGS students, with many more to follow. His generosity and determination to, as he put it, ‘give a little back’, has inspired alumni from across the globe to follow suit. Derek always said that if you have a little luck in life, it is your duty to share it. We all know that his version of ‘luck’ was innate ability and enormous amounts of endeavour and devotion.

Those of us who were lucky enough to have known Derek will remember a man of great integrity, of warmth, and of intellectual generosity, who carried the spirit of the school into every chapter of his life: he was curious, principled, outward-looking and committed to making a meaningful contribution to the world. His influence and impact on Kingston Grammar School, as a student, a Governor and a major benefactor, has been immeasurable, and his unwavering support has enriched our school in countless ways. It was a great pleasure and privilege to have spent time with him. His legacy will live on.

Derek is survived by his three children, Fiona, Rory and Jamie, his grandchildren Sarah, Emily, William, Ishbel and Floriana, and his great-grandchildren Isla, Ellie, Henry, Sophia and Rylan. It has never been more true to say that we shall never see his like again; we shall all miss him very dearly.