MAURICE PRATT FORMER FACE OF QUINNSWORTH:HE WAS the man who brought a little colour into the retail world in 1980s Ireland. Maurice Pratt was one of the best-known faces of the dreary decade, instantly recognisable as the face of Quinnsworth.
He was poached from advertising firm Des O’Meara Associates by supermarket executive Don Tidey while in his mid-20s. Throughout the eighties he fronted Quinnsworth’s television yellow-pack campaign. His catchphrase “That’s real value” struck a chord with the public, and he was a particular hit with ladies of a certain age.
When Tidey was released after the IRA kidnapped him in 1983, he was reported to have told Pratt, “I think I’m as famous as you now.”
When Tesco bought Quinnsworth in 1997, it was widely expected that Pratt would be replaced by one of the UK retailer’s own executives. However, Tesco appointed Pratt as chief executive of the retailer, an astute decision which ensured a smooth transition between the two companies, and helped to endear the British chain to the Irish public.
After five years at the helm of Tesco here, he left in 2001 and took up the post of chief executive of CC. He ran the drinks company for seven years, during which time he oversaw the flotation of the company on the Irish Stock Exchange. While it performed well during Pratt’s first few years with the company, CC ran into difficulty with the expansion into the British market.
While the company’s Magners cider brand enjoyed spectacular growth in the British market in 2005 and 2006, increased competition and a string of bad summers meant CC’s share of the British drinks market ran out of steam.
CC’s share price tumbled, and most investors laid the blame at the door of Pratt.
In particular, his decision to invest heavily in CC’s Clonmel manufacturing plant was viewed as ill-judged.
Pratt’s seven-year stewardship of the company ended with his resignation in October 2008. He received more than €2 million from the company when his contract was terminated.
Since then, Pratt has been an active presence on the business scene, mainly through a string of non-executive directorships. He is a former director at Eircom, and a board member of pharmaceutical company Uniphar, Brown Thomas and Boyne Valley Foods.
He is also chairman of Bank of Scotland Ireland, which closed its Halifax branches this year with the loss of 750 jobs.
He is heavily involved in the not-for-profit sector, is chairman of Barretstown, and is a board member of Business in the Community. He is also chairman of the European Movement in Ireland.
He is married with five sons and lives in Foxrock in Dublin. He will be 55 this month.