Bobst pays tribute to Neil Jones

Bobst has paid tribute to Neil Jones, its long-serving UK and Ireland managing director and service leader.

Jones joined Bobst in 1988 as a field service technician and held technical, training and management roles during a career spanning nearly four decades.

In 1993, he moved into training, supporting engineers and operators working with corrugated flat-bed die cutters and sheet-fed flexographic presses. He became UK service manager in 1996 before being appointed president of Bobst Group Japan in 2006.

Jones returned in 2010 to lead the UK and Ireland business as managing director. His responsibilities subsequently expanded to include the Benelux and Scandinavian markets, supporting the development of Bobst Services and customer relationships across the region.

He also championed apprenticeships and early-career development, supporting the training of 11 apprentices across field service and customer care.

Craig Moran, managing director of Bobst UK and Ireland, said: ‘Neil was an exceptional leader and a great friend to so many of us. He understood our industry in extraordinary depth, but it was the way he treated people that made him so special. He listened, made time for others and gave his support generously, whether to a customer facing a challenge or a colleague taking the next step in their career.’

Moran added: ‘We will miss his wisdom, warmth and friendship enormously. He leaves a lasting legacy in the business he helped shape and the many people he encouraged along the way.’

Beyond Bobst, Jones joined the board of EFIA, now FIA UK, in 2012 and became chairman in 2017. He also served on the board of Picon and supported Young People in Print and Packaging (YPIPP).

A supporter of the Defense Medical Rehabilitation Center Benevolent Fund in Loughborough, Jones helped raise more than GBP 100,000 through company events over a decade to support injured serving military personnel.

Raphaël Indermühle, member of the group executive committee and chief sales and marketing officer at Bobst Group, said: ‘Neil lived his life in service of others, always ready to help with generosity, humility and extraordinary dedication, and he will remain in our hearts as an inspiration and an example to us all.’

Bobst extended its condolences to Jones’ family and loved ones.