Lord Gavron, who was made a Labour peer in 1999, died on Saturday (7 February) after collapsing following a game of tennis.

Although he originally trained as a barrister and was called to the Bar, he opted instead to take up a role at a printing company.

He founded St Ives in 1964 with £5,000 and went on to make a fortune for himself and many others in the industry as the company grew into the pre-eminent printer of the time. The group was floated on the stock market in 1985, the same year it acquired Clays.

Gavron was renowned for his ability to spot talent and get the best out of his employees.

Astron founder David Mitchell worked at St Ives for eight years after “cheekily” sending Gavron his CV in 1987.

Mitchell said Gavron had a major influence on his career: “I have had a few bosses, some fabulous, some horrible – but I adored Bob,” he said.

“Bob was not the tallest person but he was a giant in terms of his charisma, his personality filled the room but above all he was an engaging listener. I will always be grateful to Bob and his board colleagues for giving me the opportunity to be part of St Ives. He was a true entrepreneur, where others see weeds he saw flowers.  

“He said to me once when reviewing an acquisition opportunity ‘it's not what it is, it's what it can be’. He was an inspirational leader and will be sadly missed,” Mitchell added.

Former St Ives chief executive Patrick Martell met up with Gavron for lunch just last week. “He still cared passionately about St Ives and was hugely interested. When I saw him for lunch at the House of Lords, Brenda Dean came over and said hello and I thought it said much of Bob that he was held in such regard from all quarters – staff, unions, shareholders, customers, and suppliers. He will be much missed.”

Print Research International managing director John Charnock, who worked at St Ives for 18 years, added: “Bob started what was probably the perfect print company for its time, the number of individuals that have passed through St Ives was like the BBC in broadcasting.

“The original culture of the business was Bob, the foundation was also Bob. Some may argue he was in the right place at the right time – but in my view there has never been a business in print that has created such a culture of customer, professionalism and supreme technological advancement.”

Gavron also left a lasting impression on customers. Brenda Haywood, the former Telegraph Group executive who negotiated the media group’s print contracts, described him as “a learned intellectual and a true gent”.

“It's probably the only large contract that I negotiated in one single night - not kidding! And I am sure he would have much preferred to be sitting at the editor’s high table than in front of a production person’s desk but he did so with the utmost grace. He was also a great delegator who surrounded himself with people he trusted and who he treated with the utmost respect,” she said.

Gavron retired from St Ives in 1993. He used his personal wealth to make many donations to the arts and also had his own charitable foundation. He was chair of Guardian Media Group from 1997 to 2000, and was also the owner of Carcanet Press and owner and chair of fine book publisher the Folio Society.

In 2008 he received the lifetime achievement award at the BPIF Excellence Awards, and in 2010 Gavron was named one of ten ‘champions in print’ at Ipex.

He is survived by his third wife, Kate, his three surviving children, and ten grandchildren.