The industry has paid tribute to Chris Peacock, owner of Conference Care, who sadly passed away last week, aged 57.

Conference Care founding director Andrew Deakin shared the news in a LinkedIn post: “It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you of the passing of Chris Peacock. He will be missed by everyone at Conference Care. Respected and loved by all, with true passion for helping others.

“I am sure many of you will have fond memories and I hope they provide you comfort; we will have the opportunity to reminisce soon. Our legacy will continue! Bye for now great man, big brother, soul mate, best friend, and business partner. It’s been an honour and a privilege; I wouldn’t change it for the world!”

The post came just a day after Peacock himself broke the news that he had terminal stage 4 bowel cancer on his LinkedIn profile.

He wrote: “I’m not posting for sympathy, I’ve already had time to accept this, I’m at home until the end and have loved ones and support all around me. I also of course have 30 years of happy and fulfilling work memories from an amazing industry, friends for life and many years of happy marriage to Helen ❤️

“I must thank the Conference Care team for being (yes I know I’m biased!) the best in the business. Andrew Deakin will continue to drive us forward and deserves your support please! From humble beginnings we made a great company and a legacy to be proud of.

Peacock and Deakin founded Conference Care in 1995, and the multi-award-winning agency has grown from strength to strength over the past 28 years to offer carbon consultancy and virtual events on top of its event management and venue finding services. He was a well-known and popular industry figure, having served as HBAA chair in 2012 and as chair of industry charity Meeting Needs from 2021 until earlier this year.

Meeting Needs paid tribute to Peacock at the industry charity’s showcase event in London last night (12 June) to mark its 20-year anniversary, which was his final project for Meeting Needs.

The Meeting Needs team said: “We will all remember him as the truly kind and noble gentleman he was. Chris was a great friend, mentor and colleague to so many and he will be greatly missed – not just by those lives he touched but by the many others who were unaware of his tireless efforts.

“Chris was loved by all who knew him and known for his kindness, charitable heart and sense of fun. He embodied all of what it means to be a part of our industry, was a beloved member of it and earned the respect of all around him. For many, particularly during the challenging recent months he will also be remembered for his bravery and stoicism. The current board of Meeting Needs, supported by past members, will proudly move forward in his memory, continuing his legacy and ensuring his hard work as chair is not just remembered but also benefits many more people.”

Tributes from industry colleagues, peers and friends across the industry have poured in via LinkedIn over the past few days.