Tributes paid after death of ‘secret millionaire’ and leading businesswoman

Tributes have been paid following the death of leading businesswoman and former ‘secret millionaire’ Dr Dawn Gibbins.

Dr Gibbins, who later went by the name Dawn De Vivre, passed away at home on Friday, February 11.

The daughter of British inventor Peter Gibbins, she co-founded international flooring business Flowcrete, based in Sandbach, in 1982 and dedicated three decades of her life ‘transforming, inspiring and detoxing’ the construction and manufacturing industry.

After selling the business in 2008, she appeared on two episodes of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire programme in 2010 and 2011.

She was awarded an MBE in 1994 and won the title of Most Influential Person in British Manufacturing, beating Richard Branson and James Dyson to the top spot of the Power 50 in 2006.

Flowcrete said: “It is with deep sadness the Flowcrete family laments the death of our matriarch and co-founder, Dawn De Vivre, formerly Dr Dawn Gibbins MBE.

“Dawn is in our eyes one of the greatest business women this nation has ever produced, setting an example at a very young age to other women in construction.

“It is Dawn’s inspiration and drive that forged our company, and we owe her our worldwide reputation.

“Daughter of great British inventor, Peter Gibbins, Dawn founded Flowcrete with her father in 1982 and for 30 years dedicated her life to transforming, inspiring and detoxing the construction and manufacturing industry of harmful materials, such as toxins from flooring products.

“Above all else, Dawn touched everyone she came in contact with and will never be forgotten.

“As a company, we offer every sympathy to Dawn’s family at this time of their loss.”