In the Export Company Richards was succeeded by I. R. Cox, who on E. J. Summerhill's retirement in January 1944 became sole managing director.

In April 1944 P. S. Turner relinquished his post as general sales manager. For over thirty years his technical and commercial abilities had been conspicuous, particularly in the field of electric traction where no trouble was too great for him and where his many overseas visits had contributed to a vast experience. He had been a director of the parent Company and chairman of the Export Company since 1931. His departure meant the loss not only of a leading member of the commercial organization but also of a charming personality, and his death a few months later was mourned by all his associates.

Turner was succeeded as general sales manager by H. C. Pierson, previously in charge of home sales, and on Pierson's retirement in February 1945 his place was taken by I. R. Cox, then managing director of the Export Company and destined for rapid elevation to even higher positions. Following Turner's death in June 1944 Sir George Bailey took over the chairmanship of the Export Company.

The New Year of 1945 brought another welcome honour to the Company in the knighthood conferred upon A. P. M. Fleming for his services to education. Fleming had controlled the educational and the research work of the Company since their inception and inspired them with some of his own vision and foresight. Outside of M-V he is a past president of the I.E.E., whose Faraday Medal he received in 1941, and he holds many important positions on advisory bodies connected with education, science and engineering. He was elected president of the engineering section of the British Association for 1949, in which office he follows many famous men including Miles Walker, another of the Holy Forty. With his presidency of the education section in 1939, he enjoys the further distinction of having headed two separate sections of the B.A. within a decade.