Ideal Standard's Roger Cooper retires

Vice president of Western Europe
For Ideal Standard Roger Cooper



There's often a tale or two that surfaces at retirement functions, and the leaving do of Roger Cooper, vice president of Western Europe at Ideal Standard, was no different. Stories were plentiful at the gathering, which took place at the Blueprint Cafe at London's Design Museum, as he said farewell to selected members of trade and consumer press. And these tales were provided by marketing director Paul Frankish and design director Robin Levien. All of them illustrated Roger Cooper's passion and dedication for the bathroom industry, emphathy for employees, as well as his drive and steely determination. In fact, Paul Frankish said Roger often jokingly laid claim to having an influence outside the bathroom industry too, citing Apple's success as being down to him. It transpires he turned down a young designer, just out of university, who wanted to create products for the bathroom. But this graduate went on to create some of the world's most iconic products because it was Jonathan Ive creator of, among many triumphs, the iPod.However, Robin Levien was perhaps a little more truthful when he said Roger Cooper had helped forge his career.
Not to be outdone, Roger had prepared his own speech and brought along a copy of The Times in 1970, the same week he started work with Ideal Standard. "There was bound to be something topical" he joked, adding "My favourite headline is 'What apart from money makes man work harder?'...that's easy it's the wife!" Roger thanked people from coming saying: "I'm very flattered, very honoured and very humble that so many of you came today" and he was presented with a gift of Robin Levien-designed tableware.