He had always been a loner and that had not really changed.

Some said he appeared remote at times and even arrogant. He somehow seemed to give off an air of superiority and of not wishing to mix with others. The very clear message was; don't bother me unless you have something important to say. Don't engage me in small talk as it has no purpose. He lived his life in boxes – home, golf, school, friends etc– and it was rare for an individual to be included in more than one box. This made it easier to have a different persona for any given occasion.

Others said he was manipulative and ultra confident. He certainly got what he wanted and was more than happy to share his opinions under the right conditions; even when those listening did not really wish to hear them. He was certainly a pedant and would rarely let go of a disagreement when he knew his view was right. After all he never argued about an issue unless he was 100% sure of his facts did he? Win the battle even if that meant losing the war could have been his motto.

He'd been moderately successful during his working life, rising to a senior management position in a comparatively small company. His teams would usually describe him...