Three months ago, Chris Silverwood shared an image on LinkedIn of his legendary time on Greek Street, Leeds.
Silverwood wasn’t afraid to share his thoughts with his 16,623 followers on a range of issues, including politics and the deals sector.
He wrote: “This memory just came up on my Facebook feed. I had this poster up in my office in Greek Street 10 years ago, which was funny until my now late mother saw it in all its glory whilst visiting me there and proclaimed that she had better watch this Wolf of Wall Street film to understand the parallels with her son!
“It goes to say that having subsequently watched said film that my mother never broached the subject with me ever again……..(I would love to know how far she actually got into the film before turning it off in disgust). Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow all.”
It summed up Silverwood’s mischievous sense of humour perfectly.
References to the ‘Wolf of Greek Street’ days have been a constant theme of many of the tributes to the man since his sudden death last week, with close friend Julian Kynaston, founder of Propaganda Agency, among those to reshare the tongue-in-cheek poster.
Silverwood was a corporate financier at Harrogate-based CorpFin, an independent corporate finance boutique offering entrepreneurs a range of corporate finance advisory services.
A devoted family man with five children, he was prolific on LinkedIn and his last post was just hours before England’s World Cup match against DR Congo on Wednesday.
Accompanied by an image of a St George’s flag, it read: “ATTENTION. There has just been a warning on Sky News that authorities are predicting a NATIONAL wave of illness that will affect all office workers in England at 4pm today.
“Government health officials have recommended that those affected should return home immediately and ensure that they are in front of their televisions by 5pm. Rather surprisingly they went on to say that the illness cannot be spread inside a pub. Be careful out there.”
Gareth Harris, partner and solutions leader of restructuring at RSM UK, wrote: “Having had a ringside seat in his ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ days, all his various reputations were all well deserved, but it was FUN!!!!
“It is a very sad day that the first of my fellow PW / Coopers trainees leaves us!! Very sad for our professional community, but truly tragic for his young family.”
Geoff Shephard, founder of Silicon North, said: “His sudden and untimely death shocked a great many people. He was a constant contact when we were both coming up in business together.
“We had neighbouring offices, I think he offered me a job once and we’d turn to each other for advice and contacts.
“And… there were many, many big nights out on Greek Street not to mention seeing off a couple of bottles of red.
“He was a larger-than-life character who almost always said what he thought and often what others dared not. Much love to his friends and family.”
Legend
Russell Jowett, founder and owner of Sophell Real Estate Finance, said: “From the business community side of things, his very presence on LinkedIn sums up Chris. He was a LinkedIn legend.
“I became more interested in LinkedIn because of Chris, as did many others. His posts summed him up. He was incredibly insightful, intelligent – he got to the heart of the matter every time.
“Chris didn’t suffer fools, but he also put his arm around anyone and everyone he came into contact with in business. He celebrated others’ successes genuinely and without exception, which was a wonderful quality. He had many.
“He was a brilliant corporate finance exponent, and his posts always said what other people were thinking but dared not say. That was Chris.
Missed: Chris Silverwood
“As a man and a family man, he was unbelievable. His love and adoration for (his wife) Louise Silverwood and his wonderful five children was something to admire and respect.”
Richard West, CEO at Manchester-based Red Flag Alert, said: “Chris was one of those rare individuals in business, an absolute character, sharp-minded, and never short of an opinion.
“I had the privilege of knowing him as both a client and someone I genuinely enjoyed debating with, particularly when it came to corporate distress and market conditions. He challenged thinking, brought perspective, and never settled for surface-level analysis.
“Through his work with Cashflow and corporate finance, Chris built a reputation as a respected figure in corporate and commercial finance. He understood the realities of business, cash, risk, growth, and the pressures leaders face, and he dedicated his career to helping others navigate those challenges with clarity and conviction.”
The world, and LinkedIn, has lost one of its stars.