Dominic De Sousa: 1959-2015
December 17, 2015 Business & Trade Press
Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Dubai publisher Dominic De Sousa who died during a corporate event on Wednesday night.
The Chairman and Founder of CPI Media Group reportedly suffered a suspected heart attack while hosting the BBC Good Food Awards at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel.
De Sousa, who was 56, founded CPI two decades ago with the launch of Computer News Middle East. The company now publishes over 25 magazines and 20 web portals, including Hospitality Business Middle East, SME Advisor Middle East and Construction Machinery Middle East.
“It is with heavy hearts that we bid adieu to our Founder-Chairman Dominic De Sousa,” the company said in a statement on its website. “He was more than just a founder and chairman of CPI Media Group. A wonderful human being, he touched the lives of many with his kindness and infectious energy.”
De Sousa was born in Kenya in 1959 to a Brazilian father and Goan mother, moving to London when he was 11 years-old. He began his career playing guitar in a band before a brief spell in retail and then landing a job at Reed Business Publishing selling advertising for a magazine called Middle East Computing, beginning his link to the region.
Often described as ‘larger-than-life’, he hit international headlines in 2005 after announcing plans to launch a magazine called Goodbye featuring dead celebrities, although the title never launched.
A public memorial service will be held on Saturday December 19 at 2pm at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Jebel Ali.
Prev
