Interviewee: Brian Mills DOB: 1933
Interviewer: David Phillips
Date of Interview:
Editor: Frank Land, September 2018
Joined LEO: July 8th 1957
Abstract After completing Grammar School from a primarily languages stream, Brian completed his National Service of two years in the Royal Corps of Signals with the rank of 2nd lieutenant. A degree in Economics from Bristol University followed, completed in 1956. A number of jobs, followed, some in marketing, one teaching Hungarians English for the Coal Board, but none of them wholly satisfactory. Tempted by advert to try for a job with LEO and following interviews by Alan Jacobs and Doug Comish accepted a job offer a trainee programmer joined LEO in July 1957. His programming career started with a number of payroll systems under the tutored by LEO Fantl. Later he joined Leo Fantl in South Africa as systems manager on the LEO III in November 1960. Returned to England after two years to join the consultants’ marketing LEO IIIs, and included Freeman’s Mail Order amongst his successes. Shortly after the return from South Africa LEO became EELM, a move Brian did not enjoy, deciding to join consultants Coopers and Lybrand. This was the beginning of a long and successful career outside LEO embracing a number of companies, culminating with head of management services for British Oxygen. After leaving British Oxygen Brian set up his own venture capital business
Repository: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/56450/Brian-Mills-Interview-27-February-2018-56450/