Co-founder of CPL, a friend and mentor to many and, without a doubt, one of the industry’s founding fathers.
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The passing late last year of David Cardwell meant that the licensing industry lost one of its true visionaries and entrepreneurs, as well as a great friend and a someone who, with his business partner Richard Culley, was a true mentor to many in the industry today. David and Richard met whilst Richard was at ATV in the early 1970s and David took a license to put on a Rupert theatrical production. Richard already had plans to open his own agency and it wasn’t long before they both realised the opportunity that lay ahead. Of course, the initial years were tough. As Richard explained, “The first three or four years were sheer slog getting everything off the ground.” But once these years passed, as Richard explained, they entered the company’s ‘purple patch.’ “The following years were the time that was most fun,” he explained. “We had properties including Noddy, Rupert, the Mr Men and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. David became
the financial head of the business – he was very good at taking on accountants and lawyers – and I took on the sales/dealmaking. We worked hard but we played hard too, both of us really enjoying the business.” David was, without doubt, the visionary that so many people now call him. “David opened offices in Europe – really against stiff opposition from other agencies in Europe,” continued Richard. “But we did it!” The company continued to grow and whilst David and Richard steered the business, they also found time for fun which many look back on fondly. “Our Christmas parties were legendary,” said Richard. “The middle years of CPL were tremendous, both in terms of business and in the sheer fun we had through it all.” Talking to those who worked with Richard and David through that period, not only do certain stories recur (David’s inadvertent meeting with the Queen is one, and tea trays are another) but you soon realise the genuine fondness so many people had
for David. Whilst the tea trays are mentioned in the following pages, we can’t really continue without talking about David’s encounter with The Queen. As Richard continued, “At the time we handled Star Wars. We hadn’t actually seen the finished film but we managed to get hold of a preview tape. Lord Brabourne, CPL’s Chairman at the time was a huge Star Wars fan and David volunteered to drop the tape into his country house a few days later. So, on a Saturday morning, David drove up to Lord Brabourne’s home, knocked on the door and when nobody answered, he wandered into the kitchen garden where he spotted a lady in a headscarf. He explained to her why he was there and she very kindly agreed to take the tape and give to Lord Brabourne. At that point, David left and it was only afterwards that he realised that the ‘lady in a headscarf’ with whom he chatted, was none other than Her Majesty the Queen.” Many of us have humorous or other-
