Reinhard Schulz, who died recently, was the longest-serving Secretary General of EIRMA, holding the position from 1975 until 1993. Like his two predecessors, Schulz joined EIRMA on assignment from the OECD, where he had worked in maritime policy. Unlike them, he stayed with EIRMA until his retirement.

As a result, Schulz led EIRMA throughout the period when many of the principles of effective R&D management and organisation were being elaborated. A number of research directors controlled large and essentially independent organisations with large supporting staff, and saw EIRMA as their professional club. The central corporate R&D laboratory became the standard model for many companies, while the idea of business-led R&D usually meant periodic discussions between the R&D management and corporate business management, deciding direction but not tactics or content.

Many famous EIRMA Working Groups published their findings during this period, providing a valuable documentary records of the evolution of industrial R&D. Relationships between R&D and business evolved (the milestone publication "Third Generation R&D" was published by AD Little staff in 1991), and the importance of broader environmental considerations swung through more than one cycle.

In his autobiography, Let the Cat Turn Round: One Man's Traverse of the Twentieth Century (CPTM 2006), Alexander King praised the work of EIRMA.

"...after about 35 years of useful activity, practically every European firm with research capacity is a member," he wrote. "Not only has EIRMA contributed substantially to the quality of industrial research in Europe, but it has continuously brought the implications of changing political, economic, social and technical conditions to the attention of research leaders. Its discussions between colleagues from competing firms are a prime example of the fertile coexistence, co-operation and competition frequently advocated but seldom achieves."

Reinhard Schulz provided the steady leadership that made this possible. His great strength was his approachability. People could talk to him and know that they would be helped. The job, however, was not stress-free, and one evening in 1982, Schulz suffered a heart attack while in the office. Fortunately discovered in time by his deputy, he made a full recovery (although he stopped smoking immediately), returned to work and continued in his role for another decade.

Schulz was ably supported in his work by his wife, Renata.