Tribute
Philippe DEFERT
1954 - 2013
It was with great sadness and deep emotion that we learned of the death of Philippe Defert, Vice- President of the Staff Association, which occurred after a courageous battle against a devastating disease that took him from us at the age of 59.
Philippe was a colleague, but mostly he was a friend to many CERN staff members. He joined CERN in October 1987 after working for several years at ESO in Munich. A mathematician by training, he first participated in the implementation of the LEP control system before joining the CN Division (which preceded the IT Department), where he had since then worked on several projects, especially in the field of free software.
Philippe was committed and had an innate sense for fighting injustice. Early on he decided to concentrate his efforts on the public good. Since 1992 he has been a Staff Council Delegate. From 2000 to 2003, then from 2010 until his death, Philippe was a member of the Executive Committee. In addition, in January 2012, Philippe agreed, in response to my request, to concurrently hold the positions of Vice-President and Secretary-General of the Staff Association, a daunting task.
Philippe was a constant source of ideas. His wit, his ability to distinguish what is essential, followed up by his dialectical analysis repeatedly led to the opening of new paths for discussions that had hit a dead end. A diamond in the rough, a rare diamond nonetheless, a demanding man while having a big heart full of empathy, Philippe was always ready to fight for his principles and defend what he considered fair.
Philippe took up many activities within the Staff Association. He was one of our two external relations ambassadors, Joel Lahaye being the second, to the Staff Associations of the International Organizations members of the UN family, especially FICSA and the EU Unions. He also participated in the organization of CSAIO conferences. His training as a mathematician and his technical expertise have helped us a lot while planning the salary scale implemented in 2007 (beginning of MARS ), the LTSLS introduced in 2011, and in carrying out an independent and critical analysis of the forecasts on the CERN Pension Fund assets development. He also participated in recent discussions regarding contracts policy. Thanks to his computer skills, Philippe played a key role allowing us at a very early stage to replace printed copies by an electronic platform for our elections and surveys.
Philippe was a great sportsman as well. In winter, he participated almost weekly in the CERN Ski Club outings. In fine weather, as an experienced diver, he went with the CERN scuba club where he was responsible for the organization of the "Sea" outings. No matter the circumstances, Philippe was joyful and funny during these ski or diving outings, he was always ready to set a mood of laughter and humour.
A man of culture, Philippe loved the theatre and cabaret. He also cared deeply about national politics, especially French, and loved to follow political debates on TV. Reading the “Canard enchaîné” and “Charlie Hebdo” was one of his favourite hobbies.
Philippe loved to share and pass on his knowledge to others. He liked to be entrusted with the technical responsibility of a small team of colleagues, and with all the patience that characterized the teacher he had been at the beginning of his career, he would explain to them the different, sometimes complicated, facets to the problem to be solved, in order to fully involve them in the solution. A pedagogical approach unanimously appreciated by those who have had the privilege of working with him.
Philippe could spend long hours, sometimes over several weeks, in helping a colleague who faced a problem at work. He would listen to him or her, contact other colleagues from the same professional environment, and if necessary, talk to their superior. Afterwards, he would again have a discussion with that colleague to find together ways to build a solution. Management sometimes found it to be an inappropriate interference, but Philippe always defended the principles of fairness and impartiality while defending people with vulnerable physical or mental health. Today, many people are grateful for the valuable assistance he lent them.
Philippe’s creativity, limitless and yet sometimes a bit chaotic, played tricks on him, especially when he found it hard to understand he should remain within certain limits: be it the white lines drawn in a car park; or legal, arising from articles in a Circular or a Regulation; or verbal, in statements in some official committee. And although Philippe’s communication style could sometimes surprise his interlocutors, his words were, for the most part, more than relevant.
For his contributions and technical expertise, Philippe certainly remains one of the leading figures of the IT Department. Throughout the twenty years of activity in the Staff Association, the wealth and diversity of Philippe’s ideas were a key element in the development of several Staff Association proposals and in the resulting advances.
In these days of sadness, our thoughts are with his children, Timmy and Meryl, his mother and family in Belgium, and his colleagues and friends, to whom we offer our sincere condolences.
We thank you Philippe for everything you have done for the Staff Association and for your colleagues at CERN.
A Golden Book is available in the Secretariat of the Staff Association until the 21st of October. You will be able to leave a message or share some good memories or photos concerning Philippe, which will be transmitted to his children.
