Remembering Simon

As we put this new website together we thought it was a good time to write a few words in memory of Simon Gordon-Walker, who sadly died unexpectedly in November 2018. Simon founded Artesia with Dene and Victoria in 2008 and was totally integral to the company in those 10 years.

Looking back at the messages from around the time of Simon’s death, you understand clearly how colleagues and other work contacts felt about him. Compassion, enthusiasm, good humoured, good company, courteous, charming, a real character, a warm individual, he made people feel very welcomed and relaxed, he was really kind… just a few words from the messages, which we received at the time, and which sum him up very well.

He was open, honest, decent and fair in all he did at work. Happy to take on difficult tasks and defuse difficult situations with good humour, he never pulled rank and he always put the team first. His intelligence, experience and background in humanities meant he brought a different perspective and attitude to problems. He wasn’t always spot on about the niceties of statistics or leakage analysis but his insight meant he always could provide a reliable steer on what was right and wrong.

Artesia has lost one of its founders and the old-school decency, common sense, and human approach that Simon brought to work every day. But Simon will always be part of Artesia. We remember him with a dedicated Slack channel (which he would have thought ridiculous) and we regularly donate to FRANK Water – a charity which was close to his heart.

I know Simon would want to see the continued success, growth and development of Artesia and we will honour his memory in the work we will do.