Well-known businessman and professional services manager Colin Searle, of Bermuda Computer Services (BCS), has died from cancer at the age of 48.

Mr. Searle, who died on June 6, was a senior project manager at Systems Business Integration (Sbi) of the Igility Group of Companies from 2004 to 2005, specialising in systems architecture and project planning for six of the class of 2005 start-ups.

From 2005 until recently, Mr. Searle was (acting) general manager of Sbi, until the recent integration of the services department with BCS (IBM Bermuda Agency) which he led, and was to head.

Mr. Searle previously worked at the Bank of Bermuda in various senior project management roles, the latest as client delivery architect in 2004, before joining Sbi.

Melanie Burns, general manager of Sbi, said: "Colin loved his work and filled the office with his brilliant wit, and his dedication and commitment to customers.

"He had the ability to patiently listen without prejudice and truly understand another's point of view, which made him a great man, and a superb manager.

"Colin's capacity to be present for others, fully present and engaged, is inspiring, not only as a business person but as a human being. We will miss him dearly."

Mr. Searle, who was from Boksburg in South Africa, graduated from the University of Cape Town before moving to Canada with his family in 1980, where he worked for the Dade Behring company between 1990 and 1998 as an information systems manager, and then onto Bermuda in 1999.

His main interests were cooking, cycling, travelling and reading, and he was a member of the Chaine Des Rotisseurs and twice completed the L'Etape du Tour.

A private family internment of his ashes were held in Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, followed by a funeral service and then a wake at Victoria Golf Club in Edmonton, as well as a celebration of his life at the Mid Ocean Club in Tucker's Town.

He is survived by wife Carolyn Saganski and parents Bob and Susan.