Ken Dixon, former Rowntree boss and the man who launched After Eight

Mr Dixon, who was the last-ever chairman of Rowntree and Co after unsuccessfully fighting to prevent its taker by Nestlé in 1988, passed away peacefully at his home near York on February 10.

There will be a celebration of his life at York's Merchant Adventurers Hall at 2pm on Monday March 7.

Mr Dixon, who was originally from Stockport, moved to York in 1956 at the age of 27 when he joined the marketing department of Rowntree & Co.

"He soon took responsibility for a number of the Company’s iconic brands including Black Magic, and was the manager responsible for the introduction of the After Eight range," said former Rowntree director Peter Blackburn.

Mr Dixon rose quickly through the ranks at Rowntree.

He was appointed to the company's board in 1970, and by 1973 had total responsibility for the UK Confectionery business.

He became group chairman in 1981 following the retirement of Sir Donald Barron - and it was in that role that he attempted to halt the takeover of the company by Nestlé.

The Swiss chocolate giant was vying with its rival Suchard to take over Rowntree.

As the battle intensified, Mr Dixon wrote to then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, asking for the takeover to be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC). Nestlé and Suchard, he warned, were trying to 'buy what they cannot build'.

The government refused to block the Nestlé takeover, however. And when it became clear it was going to go ahead, Mr Dixon devoted all his energy to getting the best deal.

"He duly delivered," Mr Blackburn said. "In the event the shares were bought for £10.75 – they were £4.69 before the takeover process started.

"Ken (also) saw to it that not just the interests of the shareholders and those of the business were maximised, but those of the Rowntree employees and pensioners were fully protected and in many cases enhanced."

Mr Dixon was born in Heaton Moor, Stockport on August 19, 1929. His father Arnold was a shipping merchant with the family firm of HC Dixon and Sons.

The family moved to Shanghai in the early 1930s, when the young Ken was two years old. "The family lived in the French quarter in Shanghai," Mr Dixon's son Mike said.

Ken, his mother and brother moved to Australia in the early 1940s. His father remained in Shanghai as a civilian internee in a POW camp, however, and did not rejoin them until 1946, when they returned to the UK.

Mr Dixon did his national service in 1947-4, taking part in the Berlin Airlift. In 1949, he went to Manchester University to study economics, then joined Calico Printers Association, where he met his future wife, Patricia. They married in 1955 and moved to York in 1956, when Mr Dixon joined Rowntree.

Following the Nestlé takeover in 1988, Mr Dixon remained on the Nestlé management board until his retirement, working to integrate Rowntree into Nestlé.

Ken Dixon in later life

After leaving the company he also served on the boards of several major companies, including British Rail and Yorkshire Tyne Tees Television, and was also closely associated with the University of York, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York Archeological Trust, York Civic Trust, the National Centre for Early Music and York Citizens Advice Bureau.

Sir Ron Cooke, the former vice chancellor of the university of York, said Mr Dixon had chaired the university council from 1990 to 2001, where he played a crucial role in establishing the Science Park, the social sciences department, the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), and the HullYork Medical School.

"We soon appreciated his many enduring qualities: his vision, pragmatism and clarity of thought; his modesty and humility; his altruism and integrity; his professionalism, humour and informality; his good sense and sensibility; his unflappability and kindness; his generosity and support," Sir Ron said. "He was always positive; always listening."

However busy he was, however, Mr Dixon's son Mike said family was always a huge part of his father's life.

"He was always there to support and encourage, always interested and always a source of wise counsel," Mike said. "He had a great sense of fun and was a huge part of our lives and those of his grandchildren."

Ken Dixon CBE, 19/8/1929- 10/2/2022