Former chief executive and chairman of Helical Mike Slade has died, the company said today (Friday)..
Born in 1946, he led Helical for 35 years, including over three decades as chief executive, followed by three years as chairman before retiring from the board in 2019 aged 72.
In a statement, Helical said: “Mike’s association with Helical began in 1984, when he reversed his private property business into Helical Bar, then a quoted company whose principal activity was the manufacture of steel reinforcement for the construction industry.
“Mike led the transformation of Helical into a major real estate developer, while shaping the firm’s culture and entrepreneurial approach to property that continues today.”
It added: “Mike’s commitment to philanthropy saw him grow LandAid as the principal charitable cause of the UK property industry, raising c. £20m during his tenure as President. He also chaired the appeal to build the Oak Cancer Centre at The Royal Marsden in Sutton, which opened in 2023 following a £70m fundraising campaign.”
Paying tribute, Helical’s current chief executive Matthew Bonning-Snook said: “Mike was a truly inspiring leader and a force of nature. I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent almost a quarter of a century working alongside him in what felt like an endless adventure.
“His infectious personality, humour and boundless energy created a culture at Helical that everyone wanted to be a part of. He was quite simply one of the most respected and loved people in the industry and he will be greatly missed by everyone that had the privilege of knowing him.”
