In memoriam: Phil Tate

Phil Tate, a co-founder of Leeds, U.K.-based buyout and turnaround firm Endless, died March 2 from injuries suffered in a skiing accident while vacationing in the French Alps. He was 32.

Tate served as an investment director with Endless, which recently announced that it had closed its second fund with about $330 million. His areas of expertise were automotive and manufacturing, and he worked on such Endless deals as Burnstein (kitchen manufacturer), H&L Garages (commercial vehicles) and Speed Frame (windows manufacturer).

Prior to joining Endless in 2006, Tate worked for Ernst & Young and Arthur Anderson.

The London Telegraph reported that Tate was on holiday with his long-time partner Kristine Grimshaw and a friend when the accident happened. The group had hired a mountain guide for the day to tackle one of the world’s most famous ski slopes, situated in the Mont Blanc range above Chamonix. The group was three-quarters of the way down the 13-mile route when they reached a flat segment. The rest of the party were on skis and they were able to push across with their poles.

Tate removed his snowboard to walk, but the snow beneath him, weakened by days of high temperatures, collapsed, and he fell 80 feet down into a crevasse.

Friends and colleagues said that they would remember “a big-hearted young man who grasped life with both hands and lived it to the full.”

“He had a unique combination of qualities and gifts that made him stand out both in the business world and in his personal life,” said Endless Managing Partner Garry Wilson. “He had not only a terrific sense of humour, but also genuine charm, warmth and a passion for life that was infectious.”

No funeral plans have yet been announced. —Alastair Goldfisher