Richard Cousins: Compass shares inch lower after CEO dies in Australia seaplane crash

The crash on Sunday killed six people near Cowan, north of Sydney, including Richard Cousins, his two sons, his fiancée and her daughter

Mr Cousins is credited with growing Compass into one of the UK stock market’s best-performing companies (Compass Group)

Shares in British catering giant Compass group inched lower on Tuesday morning – the first trading day after the company’s chief executive was killed alongside four members of his family in a seaplane crash in Australia.

In early trading, shares in Compass were down around 0.8 per cent. In a statement on the company’s website, Compass chairman Paul Walsh said that he was “deeply shocked and saddened by [the] terrible news” of Richard Cousins’ death.

“The thoughts of everyone at Compass are with Richard's family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them,” he said.

"It has been a great privilege to know Richard personally and to work with him for the last few years. Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britain's leading companies,” Mr Walsh added.

Others, including friends and politicians, paid tribute to the family over the weekend.

The crash on Sunday killed six people near Cowan, north of Sydney, including Mr Cousins, his two sons, his fiancée and her daughter.

Mr Cousins had led Compass for just over a decade and was due to step down at the end of March this year. Separately on Tuesday, Compass said that Dominic Blakemore, who was due to take over as CEO on 1 April, would now be appointed immediately.

Mr Cousins is credited with growing Compass into one of the UK stock market’s best-performing companies. Over the past five years, shares in the group have appreciated by more than 90 per cent.