Remembering WAM's Howard Strowman

Howard Rosen's heartfelt tribute to a very valued, long-term business associate

I made several million-pound-plus deals with Howard Strowman during my 15 years as financial director of Compaq UK and Ireland. They tended to be concluded by a handshake, usually after a lengthy and expensive lunch – always at a shockingly low price. Howard certainly got the job done.

He would make "problem inventory" disappear without trace to who knows where. Then there's that one time Compaq UK serial numbers reappeared in Moscow, resulting in red faces all around.

In the good years, he would host a spectacular Christmas bash at Cliveden. Computer industry competitors would arrive as strangers and leave as friends. The specially memorable, flamboyant Howard touches included "the best transsexual magician in the world" one year.

He was charming, gregarious and always very much his own man. I was shooting one day on a traditional estate when up bounced Howard, wearing camouflage shorts, mirror sunglasses and a leather coat. He had no need for convention.

As well as having considerable personal warmth and endless bad jokes, he worked tirelessly raising money for charities, most notably his favourite Nightingale House, a care home for elderly Jewish people in Clapham.

What a pity he has gone.

Howard Rosen is a partner at Cleves Investments