Architect and business leader William 'Bill' Bissell, who headed OBM International, has died aged 64.

Mr. Bissell took over as CEO of the company, formerly known as Onions Bouchard & McCulloch, in 1993 and has helped to promote Caribbean design values across the region and beyond.

The company was originally formed in Bermuda in 1936 by Wilfred Onions and Valmer Bouchard, as Onions Bouchard, Architects. Traditional Bermuda architecture was the mainstay of the company's home designs, as it helped preserve the Island landscape of traditional cottages, with moogates, Flemish gables, fishtail chimney caps, limewashed roofs and 'eyebrows' over doorways.

John McCulloch joined the company, adding to its name - now known as OBM - and expanding to many Caribbean islands. When mr. McCulloch retired as company principal in 1993, Mr. Bissell took over as CEO of OBM International, which by then had offices in Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, Antigua, Turks and Caicos and Trinidad.

The company went from being a Caribbean architectural practice to being a property consultancy with a global presence, opening a design office in Madrid, Spain earlier this year as it expanded its market towards the Arabian Peninsula.

Mr. Bissell was involved with the Caribbean Hotel Association, Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism and other groups.

Current company chairman Baudilio Ruiz said: "Bill's impact on OBMI is obvious and enormous; his vision for the company has broadened the development reach of OBMI from a regional Caribbean design firm to one with global presence.

"His deep conviction for the individual worth of his colleagues and selfless generosity endeared him to many throughout the Caribbean and the world. His premature passing is a great loss to be regretted by all."

Mr. Bissell was born in Durham, England and was a lifelong supporter of Newcastle United FC. A memorial service is to be held today in Miami and on Friday at the Elmslie Memorial Church in Cayman Islands.