The many tributes paid to my partner and friend Philippe are indicative of the enormous respect and affection he inspired within the legal community. Philippe devoted his professional life to the development and promotion of our profession, and to the evolution of “homo juridicus” so that in-house lawyers would become ever more central to the business and the strategy of their companies. Philippe loved to transmit his knowledge, propose practical, concrete solutions and advise lawyers in search of professional opportunities. He did not count the “pro bono” time spent on meeting and advising job seekers. In December 2018, he was proud to attend the graduation ceremony of the first class of students to receive the General Counsel Executive Master from Sciences Po. Philippe was a driving force behind the creation of this Executive Master. He would have been very touched to know that these students chose to honor him by naming their year after him.

Philippe and I were a team for 15 years. With kindness and high standards, he taught me how to be a consultant. We functioned as a pair. Our partnership was based on real affection and a high degree of complementarity, for we had different professional experiences, cultures, personalities, and strengths and weaknesses. These differences stimulated our professional creativity and enriched our exchanges on our missions.

Philippe was extremely open-minded and had an unquenched thirst for learning, and especially for understanding. He loved to work in an international environment.

While he was highly intelligent and cultivated, Philippe was humble. He acted with integrity, honesty and loyalty, and treated everyone with respect.

It was an enormous pleasure and source of pride to be his partner.

Philippe was an accomplished athlete and always pushed his limits. Let’s find inspiration in his quest for excellence.