In memoriam: André de Bausset

andre-de-bausset_law2456With great sadness we report the passing of André de Bausset, Vice President Merchandising Europe at DFS Group.

André, a man of immense integrity, intelligence, humility and a much-respected professional, had battled with cancer for some time. He leaves his wife Adéline and four children.

A mass will be celebrated this Thursday in the Church of Sainte Marguerite du Vésinet in Paris.

André assumed his most recent role with DFS in August 2014, having earlier served the retailer as Vice President Merchandising, Cosmetics from September 2012.

His earlier career included over three years as International Director with LVMH-owned Cognac house Hennessy and eight years as International Travel Retailing Director for Parfums Christian Dior.

Comment: André will be widely mourned by all who knew him in the industry. I was honoured to be one of them, writes Martin Moodie.

Readers will forgive me for sharing a personal memory that illustrates his deeply human qualities. In September 2012 as I was emerging from my own battle with cancer he wrote to me and said: “I read in your blog recently about your fight against cancer, and wish you a total remission and the best of health. You can count me in the same fight, in my case against melanoma for the past year, enjoying repeated surgery, but confident and faithful in defeating the beast.”

André stood up to that beast, my god how he stood up to it. It has taken him but he stared it in the face and now all those knew him must do what we can to help fund the fight against this terrible disease that has taken too many good men and women from our industry.

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