In memoriam

Remembering Philip Pascall

1947 - 2023

The bulldozer driver was clearing an area of virgin bush to make way for new housing for First Quantum employees. As he drove towards a tree with a big white cross on it, Philip jumped out of the Landcruiser. “Stop! Stop!” he shouted over the noise of the build site “That tree is marked for preservation.”  Turning to the supervisor he said quietly but firmly “Both of you will lose your jobs if we cut down any trees marked ‘Save’.”

Philip was a hands-on boss, passionate about the environment. This was reflected in everything FQM did from supporting game sanctuaries in Africa, building offices high into the Panamanian tree canopies gently close to the birds or rehabilitating large tracts of rain forest or virgin bush.

FQM’s growth under his leadership is well documented. From being a minor player in Zambia it grew, over 25 years, to become a major player in the global copper market. Its key mines in Panama and Zambia rank high amongst the world’s largest and it has other major mining projects in locations as diverse as Mauritania and Finland, Turkey and Peru, Spain, Argentina and Australia. Growing a business of this size was never easy – challenges arose frequently - but his vision and leadership were outstanding. FQM attracted the support of most of the world’s leading mining investment funds.

While Philip was rightly proud of FQM’s achievements, he always remained modest and grounded. Indeed, family apart, one of his greatest satisfactions came from the impact he was able to have on people’s daily lives. Literally millions of people, whole countries, benefited from his efforts. Thousands were educated. Whole communities saw health facilities grow where there had been nothing before. Subsistence farmers became successful operators under the company’s guidance. The billions paid in taxes over the years enabled governments to address new priorities.

Philip was not always easy – from Prime Minister to fellow director, you could expect an ill thought through comment to be savaged – but his generosity of spirit was enormous. He was always there to support, encourage and develop the people around him.  He was loyal and kind : he retained strong friendships from his school days in Zimbabwe, he privately supported many individuals facing troubles and he reconciled even with those who had sought harm. In this way he had a talent for bringing out the best in others.

A measure of Philip’s impact can be seen in the flood of tributes that flowed on his death. There were many letters of appreciation from Presidents and industry leaders but even more from those he worked with, all the way down to the most junior employees. The CEO of Rio Tinto paid tribute saying

 “Rio Tinto would not be where it is today without Philip. We are honoured by the role he has played in our history, from his early years at RTZ to the building of our Argyle diamond mine. He was a master of executing projects in developing economies. “  

Typical comments from colleagues were

“You taught me everything I know: thank you” and

“You always treated me with respect and helped me do my job better”.

But Philip was so much more than the company he helped found. He loved Africa and its game, with his “Royal” on the banks of the Zambesi being a favoured retreat, he was a great sportsman, rowing well into his 70’s, he loved fishing and shooting and read avidly on everything from the future of the world to world histories. Ideas excited him. He was fun to be with. But one had to be cautious: woe betide sitting next to him at dinner if he had just read an interesting book. The next two hours could all be one way traffic!

His legacy will endure for years in so many ways. He has left a wonderful family, Vivienne who he adored, and four children, each strong individuals in their own way, and numerous grandchildren; he has provided countries and communities with better futures and he established a corporate ethos and culture that would be the envy of many.

It was a privilege for all of us in the class of ‘72 to have known him but he too enjoyed that year enormously and was deeply appreciative of all involved. The challenge he has left us is to try to emulate, in some small way, some of his qualities and in so doing enhance our own lives and those of others.