Friends, peers and colleagues from the media and advertising industries are sharing memories of Markus Templer, who passed away suddenly earlier this week.

Templer had most recently been head of tech and telco marketing solutions at LinkedIn since 2016. Over the course of his career, he has also had senior roles at numerous advertising, technology and data companies, including Gravity4, Rocket Fuel and Torstar’s Olive Media.

Current and former LinkedIn staff, as well as clients and other peers in the industry, have been taking to the platform to share memories of Templer as both a colleague and a friend.

“Markus was a unifier,” wrote Michael Meghory, LinkedIn’s senior manager of enterprise client solutions. “He simply brought people together through his infectious energy and a universally renowned smile that would light up every room he walked into.”

“For those who’ve had the privilege of having Markus Templer as a your sales rep, you’ve been the lucky recipient of a bone breaking hug (seriously), an infectious smile seen a mile away and a personality that could light up a room,” wrote Cavin Bennett, digital performance manager at TD Bank.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for Templer’s mother, sisters and nephews. Colleagues are also collecting stories and photographs of Templer to be compiled and shared with his friends and family.