Tony Winning - A heart of gold

Tony Winning's time as News Editor Europe confronted him with some of the most difficult tasks any newsroom leader has to face -- sending journalists into harm's way to report the story, in this case the Balkan wars triggered by the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the U.S. military intervention in Somalia.  In these and other cases, he and others made sure that Reuters had the technology and protective gear they needed to do the job. 

 

Tony's care for the wellbeing of his colleagues went beyond the necessary, however.  In December 1993, he and his wonderful wife Fay bought up a wide selection of goodies at their local supermarket and had them air-freighted to Mogadishu so the Reuters team could enjoy some Christmas cheer while working in dire conditions. 

 

On another occasion, I returned to London from an especially long and arduous stint in the Balkans to find a chauffeur in a peaked cap and grey suit waiting at Heathrow to drive me home in style in a sparkling British Daimler, courtesy of Tony. 

 

Kindnesses like these are never forgotten. RIP, Tony, a man with a heart of gold.