| Frits Philips | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frederik Jacques Philips 16 April 1905 Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| Died | 5 December 2005 (aged 100) Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Alma mater | Technische Hogeschool Delft |
| Known for | Chairman of the BOD of Philips |
| Spouse | Sylvia van Lennep (1905–1992) |
| Parents | Anton Philips (1874–1951) Anna de Jongh |
Frederik Jacques "Frits" Philips (April 16, 1905 – December 5, 2005) was the fourth chairman of the board of directors of the Dutch electronics company Philips, which his uncle and father founded. For his actions in saving 382 Jews during the Nazi Occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, he was recognized in 1996 by Yad Vashem as a Righteous Among the Nations.
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Frits Philips was born in the city of Eindhoven in the south of the Netherlands. The second child, he was the only son of Anton Philips and his wife Anne Henriëtte Elisabeth Maria de Jongh. His paternal uncle was Gerard Philips, who started the Philips company. His father was co-founder when in 1912 they incorporated the family business. Frits had an older sister named Annetje and a younger sister named Jettie. Their grandfather Frederik Philips was a first cousin of Karl Marx.
In 1923, Philips started his studies at the Delft University of Technology; he received an engineer's degree in mechanical engineering in 1929. He was introduced to the Oxford Group in 1934, the Christian movement that was the forerunner of Moral Re-Armament(MRA) and Initiatives of Change (IofC).
The Oxford Group was a life-long source of inspiration to him and his wife. On July 4, 1929 in The Hague, he married Sylvia, Jonkheerin van Lennep (The Hague, December 16, 1905 – Eindhoven, August 29, 1992), daughter of ..., Jonkheer van Lennep (Wiesbaden, October 3, 1876 – The Hague, September 13, 1951), and wife Digna Jacoba Mijer (b. Batavia, March 28, 1883). The couple had seven children: Digna (b. September 14, 1930), Anton Frederik (b. March 12, 1932), Anne Jetje (Annejet) (b. October 14, 1933), Sylvia (b. December 6, 1936), Warner, Frits (who married and had Warner (b. October 3, 1969) and Frits) and Maria.
On October 18, 1935 Frits Philips was appointed vice-director and a member of the board of Philips.
Learning of the expected occupation of the Netherlands by Nazi Germany in World War II in 1940, his father Anton Philips, young nephew Frans Otten, the other Philips family members escaped from the Netherlands and fled to the United States, taking company capital with them. Frits Philips stayed in the Netherlands. Together they managed to keep the company alive during the war.
From May 30 until September 20, 1943, Philips was held in the concentration camp Vught because of a strike at the Philips factory. During the Occupation, Philips saved the lives of 382 Jews by convincing the Nazis that they were indispensable for the production process at Philips. In 1996, he was recognized by Yad Vashem as among the Righteous Among the Nations for his actions.[1]
In 1961, Philips succeeded Frans Otten as president of the company. He served in this position for 10 years; in 1971 he was succeeded by Henk van Riemsdijk.
At the age of 100, on December 5, 2005, Philips died from complications resulting from a fall in November.
Frits Philips was immensely popular in Eindhoven. The citizens of Eindhoven commonly referred to him as "Meneer Frits" (Mister Frits) . Frits made no class difference between factory workers and members of the board of directors: he was often seen chatting to the factory workers, which contributed to his popularity.
His hundredth birthday in 2005 was celebrated on a large scale in his home city of Eindhoven, which was renamed Frits Philips Stad (Frits Philips City) for the occasion. The city minted a special coin that bears the nickname "Fritske". The yearly Lichtjesroute event honoured him that year by placing a picture of him highlighted along the route (see right).
At the age of 100, Frits Philips frequently visited the home football matches of PSV. He did not use the stadium's business lounge; instead he sat in the crowd — section D, row 22, seat 43. The administration of PSV has announced that this seat will remain empty as a memorial for their faithful supporter. The night he died, supporters paid their tribute in a minute's silence for their "Mr. Frits" prior to the match (PSV-Fenerbahçe 2-0, 6-12-2005).
In 1966 the company Philips celebrated its 75th anniversary. For this occasion, Frits Philips wanted to give the people of Eindhoven a beautiful gift to support education. The result was a building named Evoluon, based on a sketch which he made on a paper napkin. The Evoluon was used as an educational centre for science and technology.
In 1989 the city closed the Evoluon to the public and adapted it for use as a conference centre, much to Philips' regret. In the last years of his life, he tried to raise interest to restore the Evoluon and return it to public uses for the citizens of Eindhoven.
In 1986, Frits Philips launched the Caux Round Table (CRT) group of senior European, Japanese and American business executives. Alarmed to hear that the Japanese were dumping their products on the western market, he feared a growing trade war. He saw the need to build trust among international executives and for Corporate Social Responsibility practices. The CRT’s Principles for Business were published in 1994, incorporating western concepts (human dignity...) and Japanese ones (kyosei, interpreted as “living and working together for the common good”). An international code of good practices written by such senior industrialists from such varied backgrounds remains exceptional today. It was presented to the UN Social Summit in Copenhagen in 1994. It has since become a standard work, translated into 12 languages,and has been used as the basis for internal ethical assessments by international companies such as Nissan.
Frits Philips has received many honorary titles and awards during his life.
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