Harold Couch, a former ICSC trustee who helped drive the growth of the organization in Europe, died at the age of 84 on July 24.

He served as chairman of ICSC Europe from 1991 to 1998, and he chaired the 1998 ICSC European Conference and the 1995 ICSC World Congress, both in Vienna.

When ICSC merged with the European Council of Shopping Centres in 1998, Couch used surplus member funds that had accumulated to establish the European Shopping Centre Trust scholarship program for the benefit of the industry. He chaired the trust from its inception until 2009, and it’s still active today. 

“He was noted for his support and enthusiasm for younger colleagues, his charming personality and great smile,” said Derek Barker, managing director for architecture and design firm Haskell. Barker, who worked with Couch over the years, added, “He was an absolute British gentleman.”

Couch also served the UK shopping center industry as president of the British Council of Shopping Centres in 1992. In 1998, ICSC honored Couch with the ICSC Trustees’ Distinguished Service Award to acknowledge his dedication to that organization, now called Revo.

Couch worked as senior retail partner at London-based commercial property consultants Hillier Parker May & Rowden, which CBRE acquired in 1998. Bentall Centre in Kingston was among the iconic UK retail centers he worked on at the firm. He retired in 1996.

Couch is survived by his wife, Dorothy, and his children, Lizzie and David.