Tributes have been paid to Archant executive Ian Davies who was killed in a plane crash.
Davies, 49, was director of business development for Archant and was closely involved with the company’s successful strategy in recent years to expand its portfoilo of monthly regional lifestyle magazines.
Before joining Archant Davies worked as a journalist, radio presenter/producer and television news reader.
Davies was a keen pilot and died after his plane crashed with a crop spraying tractor at Seething Airfield, south of Norwich, yesterday afternoom
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Another man who was in the plane, remains in Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital hospital.
According to Seething Airfield the two-seater aircraft was coming in to land when it collided with the vehicle spraying crops.
Davies worked for Archant for 19 years and was responsible for the development of corporate activity and mergers and acquisitions.
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He was a member of the corporate executive team and was also a director of Archant Regional, Archant Life, Archant Specialist and Archant Dialogue.
Archant chief executive John Fry said: “Everyone at Archant is extremely saddened to hear of the tragic accident involving Ian yesterday. He was a keen amateur pilot with a real passion for all aspects of flying. His sudden death has been felt by us all. Our thoughts are with his family and in particular his wife Colette and children Francesca and Josh.”
Davies part-owned a de Havilland Chipmunk airplane which he flew out of Seething Airfield.
He was a formation display pilot with the Red Sparrows team and an instructor and was also a qualified helicopter pilot.
Archant Specialist MD Jonathan Hustler said: “I have worked with Ian since the early 90s and he has made a huge contribution to our progress.
“In particular he was a key architect of our strategy to develop a magazine business alongside the newspapers.
“He has served on our magazine boards since their inception and there was many a time when his clever strategic thinking gave us an edge over competitors.
“Ian was a great enthusiast and connected his passion for flying with his work for Archant when he led the acquisition of Pilot Magazine in 1999.
“Since then he has played a key part in that title’s development as the market-leading title in the country. He rarely missed an air show or the launch of a new plane and his immeasurable contribution will be acutely missed.”
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