At this time, the second anniversary of Geoffrey Wilkinson's death on 26th September 1996, his work and influence on the development of inorganic chemistry and the chemistry of the platinum group metals are recalled by two of his former students and colleagues. Geoffrey Wilkinson's early life and career, important areas of his platinum metals research and work leading to the award in 1973 of the Nobel Prize are surveyed. He is remembered by his relationship with Johnson Matthey, his work at Imperial College and by affectionate anecdotes from the laboratory.