Wallis Tomlinson co-founder Geoff Tomlinson passes away

The agency was sold to Palmer Hargreaves in 2002, at which point Tomlinson carried on as creative director.

George Wallis, director of Palmer Hargreaves, said: “Geoff was a true ‘old school’ creative talent and he brought a genuinely creative agency to the Midlands alongside my father.

"Everyone that worked with him enjoyed his sharp wit and creative personality. Geoff was a magnetic persona to be around and truly unforgettable once you had been. For me, it’s the end of an era, the man was a legend. The world will be a duller place without him in it.”

Andrew Clift, executive chairman of Palmer Hargreaves, added: “It was with great sadness that we learned of Geoff’s death - but sadness isn’t an emotion that I can associate with Geoff’s memory for very long.

“Nobody who spent a long lunchtime - and they were legendary - in Geoff’s company could fail to be entertained, amused and eventually, inebriated. Geoff was a proper ‘old school’ ad man. He and his business partner George Wallis built an agency that in its day, could rival the best of the London shops and built a strong creative reputation on the back of truly outstanding work for a variety of clients, foremost amongst them being Subaru.

"When Palmer Hargreaves was looking to acquire another agency, top of our criteria was creative reputation – which led us straight into a conversation with Geoff & George, culminating in the creation of PHWT in 2002. Geoff was gifted, instinctive, highly creative, eminently charismatic and a true gentleman. Bye Geoff, we’ll miss you.”

The Drum understands that Tomlinson, who was 69, passed away peacefully last week at home while surrounded by family.