Robert De Wynter

Co-founder, with Anthony Pye-Jeary, of the West End’s pre-eminent marketing agency, Robert De Wynter thrived on the competitive and fast-moving world of theatre marketing. The two men began the agency in the mid-1970s with graphic designer Russ Eglin. 

All three had worked on the marketing and PR for Jesus Christ Superstar and become friends, later moving into the Piccadilly offices of Dewynters Ltd, which was founded by Robert De Wynter’s father, who died when Robert was 19.

After a slow start, the new company’s fortunes changed dramatically when they were retained to do the marketing for Cats in 1981, and came up with the iconic poster of the cat’s eyes. 

Pye-Jeary recalls: “By then, we were all friendly with Andrew (Lloyd Webber), Tim (Rice) and Cameron (Mackintosh) and they were the people who changed British theatre. We were in the right place at the right time.”

Dewynters became internationally renowned for its originality and efficiency. Having started out with a staff of four, by the late 1980s the now transatlantic company had expanded to a workforce of more than 100 in London and 20 in New York.

De Wynter retired from the company at the turn of the millennium, leaving Pye-Jeary (now also retired) in charge. Pye-Jeary says their working partnership was “never dull – working with Robert was like being in the middle of a tornado; sometimes you had to hold on very tight. We were fearless when we started out.”

James Charrington, present CEO of Dewynters, described him as “relentlessly innovative and entrepreneurial,” adding that “behind his huge personality was a thoughtful, supportive human being. I hope he knew how profound his influence on theatre marketing was over 30 eventful years”.

Robert De Wynter, born on October 3, 1944, died on Christmas Day, 2022, aged 78. His wife Helen predeceased him last year, and he is survived by his four children, Ben, Genevieve, Adam and Gemma.