By Andy McCue, 4 January 2005 12:50
NEWS Dame Hilary Cropper, former CEO of Xansa, respected business leader and one of the first women to break into the top tier of the UK IT industry, has died of cancer at the age of 63.
Cropper joined computer programming firm Freelancers International (FI Group) in 1985, became CEO two years later and transformed it into the IT services and consultancy group that later became Xansa.
The company's revenues rose from £7m in 1987 to over £450m in 2003 before she stepped down as executive chairman after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Cropper spearheaded the company's early moves into offshoring services in India, oversaw Xansa's flotation on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and became the highest-paid female executive in the UK in 1999 when she earned £17m.
After stepping down because of ill health Cropper worked hard for cancer charity CancerBACUP but lost her battle against the illness on Boxing Day.
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1. Thomas Lee
Hilary was an amazing woman. I knew her many, many years ago and always admired her. Another good one passes on.
2. Ashok Sapru
Hillary was a great visionary. The expansion programme of Xansa in India is her vision and farsightedness.