Flame Media founder & CEO John Caldon passes away

Australia-based Flame Media has announced the death of its chairman, CEO and founder John Caldon, at the age of 73, who passed away on Tuesday, 16 February, following an 11-month battle with cancer.

British-born Caldon was based in Australia for many years with his life and business partner Lyndey Milan, creative director of Flame Media. Although he emigrated there in 1973, since he established Flame Media, he and Milan divided their time between Australia and the company’s UK office.

Caldon and Milan founded Flame Media in 2010 as an integrated, global TV group with production, distribution and an advisory division. Until his cancer diagnosis in April 2020, it included TV production with Flame Productions in Australia, Wildflame Productions in the UK and Flame Media in Germany; and Flame Corporate which advised the media industry on funding, government assistance, mergers and acquisitions.

A statement released by Flame Media said; “John Caldon was a successful entrepreneur and had a strong vision for the company, which is shared by the well-established senior management team, most of whom have been with Flame since its inception.  This vision will burn brightly as the company moves forward and continues to grow and expand to keep his legacy alive.”

Fiona Gilroy, Flame’s content sales & acquisitions director, commented: “John was a truly wonderful person, with a warm heart, and incredible mind.  He loved the people and places he interacted with, always curious and enamoured of life.  He was well-respected across the TV industry and was extremely focused on bringing out the best in everyone.  He will be sorely missed.”

Dawn McCarthy-Simpson, MD, global strategy, said: “John was a great man, a wonderful intellect, who inspired everyone who crossed his path. His passion was infectious, a natural storyteller and entrepreneur combined which made him one of the great souls of this world that leaves an ever-lasting imprint on this world.”