Tributes have poured in following the death of legendary British and global car industry boss and proud Welshman Nick Reilly, who fought a valiant battle to maintain production of Vauxhall cars in Britain – including relinquishing his £160,000 per annual salary.
The former Vauxhall and General Motors chief executive famously entered the car industry after ‘finding himself’ and finding his chosen path following a prolonged period of hermit-like contemplation at a hippie-esque mountaintop retreat.
He died on Friday June 7 after a long illness, aged 74, leaving behind his wife Susie, three adult children and six grandchildren.
Even in an industry full of characters, Nick Reilly was far from your average ‘car man’ – he was an eclectic, entertaining and sociable mix of Welsh, Old Harrovian, Cambridge graduate and father of three, who was also passionate about his national rugby team and enjoyed a good pint.
He also enjoyed great respect, both among car industry executives and among journalists and union leaders, with whom he was often involved in tense negotiations.
Change of direction: Nick Reilly joined the automotive industry after finding ‘himself’ and his chosen path after a prolonged period of hermit-like contemplation
Born in Anglesey, North Wales, Reilly was a pupil at the prestigious Harrow School and studied economics and engineering at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge, before embarking on a career in stockbroking.
At the age of 24, he felt restless and unfulfilled. So he climbed a mountain at Llangollen in Denbighshire, and spent four winter months in a cottage ‘getting my life in order’.
He recalled: ‘It was the best thing I ever did. I decided that stock trading was not what I wanted to do with my life.
“It was six miles to the nearest home. I came down every two weeks to play rugby and stock up on food.
‘I grew a beard and long hair. I read a lot of books. I’ve probably done more academic work than I did at Cambridge.’
His future, he decided, lay in manufacturing.
Reilly began his career with the automotive giant in 1975 at the former British Detroit Diesel Allison Division.
He then began his steady rise through the GM ranks in Belgium, the US, Mexico and the GM Europe headquarters in Zurich.
He was appointed chairman and chief executive of Vauxhall in 1996 and became vice-president of GM the following year.
As chairman of Vauxhall in April 1998, Reilly gave up his basic salary of £160,000 for one year as a sign of his commitment to keeping the company in Britain. In a letter to 10,000 employees at Vauxhall’s two British factories in Ellesmere Port, Merseyside and Luton, Bedfordshire, he also announced that the salaries of nine other company directors would be frozen for a year as a “personal commitment” to the future of the enterprise. company as discussions aimed at securing a new pay and work practices package were underway.
From 2002, the Welshman oversaw GM’s takeover and restructuring of Korea’s Daewoo. From July 2006, he served as president of GM Asia Pacific.
After years of living in Asia, he claimed with a twinkle in his eye that there were parts of downtown Seoul where GM employees and off-duty executives toasted “iechyd da” – Welsh for cheer – thanks to his socializing influence.
He retired in 2011 but maintained strong advisory links with the car industry he loved, and recently visited – at his request – the refurbished Ellesmere Port factory in Cheshire which played such an important role in his career.
Proud Welshman: David Nicholas Reilly was born on December 17, 1949 in Anglesey
Ultimately, passenger car production ceased at Vauxhall’s Luton and Ellesmere Port – following decisions made in Detroit by Vauxhall’s previous owners General Motors – but both plants live on and thrive as centers for the production of commercial vehicles and electric vans under new owners Stellantis, who own is from Vauxhall. , Citroen, Peugeot and FIAT, Jeep and Alfa Romeo.
Reilly confessed that he had no desire to close factories or end car production, telling me, “Once in a lifetime is enough.”
David Nicholas Reilly, a very proud Welshman, was born on December 17, 1949 in Trearddur Bay, Anglesey.
His grandfather built and ran The Beach Hotel in Trearddur Bay, where he and his mother were born and where he grew up after his parents took control.
He attended the nearby Trearddur House preparatory school as a boarder and from there he was awarded a scholarship to Harrow School, which earned him a place at Cambridge University to study engineering, before switching to economics after his first year.
After a few years working as a stockbroker in Manchester and Birmingham, he embarked on his now famous holiday to ‘find himself’ on a primitive and remote farm in the mountains of North Wales, near Llangollen.
From there he applied for a job as a financial analyst at Detroit Diesel Allison, which at the time had a factory in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, after which his career at American General Motors took off.
He met his wife Susie, a teacher, while working at the Wellingborough factory and, after a life of world travel – and some extended spells in Britain – he retired to Brixham, Devon, in 2014, but moved last year to Pulborough, Sussex, to be closer. to their family.
The couple has three adult children – Tasha, George and Jessica – and six grandchildren.
Tributes have poured in
Mike Hawes, CEO of the Society of Motor Manufacturers Traders (SMMT), of which Reilly was former president, led the tributes.
He said: ‘Nick was one of the leading figures of the motor industry, not just in Britain but worldwide, and had the authority to run a wide range of businesses.
“We were fortunate to have him as president of SMMT from 2001, a term that was unfortunately cut short when he was transferred to Korea.
‘He was always incredibly insightful and could turn complex problems into simple questions, something he did with patience and good humor.
‘However, in recent times he has been a leading figure, both in an advisory role for the SMMT and as a trustee of the SMMT Charitable Trust Fund, working to bring younger people into the sector he loved. He will be missed by many in the industry and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Bill Parfitt, former Vauxhall chairman under previous owners General Motors, said: ‘Nick was a great man in the industry – a great innovator and leader who pioneered the first online car sales for Vauxhall Motors. He was instrumental in bringing many new models into Ellesmere Port and Luton.”
Former Vauxhall and GM Daewoo PR Denis Chick said: ‘Nick never lost sight of the UK market and insisted that we bring groups of media to Korea, personally hosted by him, to ensure the product was well understood at home.
“Even after losing the battle to preserve car manufacturing in Luton, his commitment to GM never wavered. Nick was a true gentleman, an astute businessman and, as a proud Welshman, a lifelong supporter of Welsh rugby, for which his passion never wavered.”
Another ex-Vauxhall PR Tom Malcom said: ‘Nick was a great car enthusiast and a very talented leader – both for the company and for the industry.’
Andy Palmer, motor industry director and former CEO of Aston Martin, described him as ‘a giant of the car industry’.
Auto Express editor Paul Barker praised ‘a real automotive figurehead’.
The Guild of Motoring Writers praised “a unique automotive industry leader whose genuine warmth and leadership in the automotive industry touched many lives.”
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