James Nicol, the Canadian chief executive brought in to shake up Tomkins, can take pride in the interim figures which show the engineering and automotive group beating expectations with a 6.3 per cent increase in pre-tax profits.
He took the helm at a much-depleted Tomkins in Febraury 2002 after Greg Hutchings, a dealmaker who built the company into a sprawling conglomerate, stepped down in October 2000 following allegations of misusing company funds.
Mr Nicol, 50, whose enthusiasm for engineering and electronics belies his legal training, has been described as intense and serious-minded, in contrast to his predecessor. Perhaps influenced by his father, who worked for General Motors, he walked away from a successful career as a commercial lawyer in 1987 to join Magna International, the Canadian automotive parts company. There he worked his way through the ranks to become president and chief operating officer, leaving midway to set up TRIAM Automotive and returning only in 1998 when Magna acquired TRIAM.