My friend and former colleague George Derbyshire, who has died aged 85, was a first-class financial administrator who applied his skills to the running of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts.
Beginning his career with the BBC, George ran the World Service relay station at Johor Bahru in Malaysia, an experience that instilled a lifelong love of Chinese culture. On his return to the UK he was in charge of finances for BBC Schools television (1972-79). It was there that he met John Hosier who, on becoming principal of the Guildhall School, invited George to become director of finance and administration. I was the director of music at the school at that time, and worked closely with both of them.
