David Kessler (French official) explained

David Kessler
Birth Date:24 February 1959
Birth Place:Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Death Place:Paris, France
Nationality:French
Office:Director General of Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée
Term Start:2001
Term End:2004
Successor:Catherine Colonna
Office2:Director of France Culture
Term Start2:2005
Term End2:2008
Predecessor2:Laure Adler
Successor2:Bruno Patino
Spouse:Sophie Mesguich
Cyril Pigot
Alma Mater:École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud
Relatives:Emmanuel Kessler (brother)

David Kessler (24 February 1959 – 3 February 2020) was a French senior official.[1] He served as Culture and Communication Adviser to the President of France from 2012 to 2014,[2] and also served on numerous boards of directors.

Biography

David was the son of Paul Kessler, former director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, and Colette Kessler, who co-founded the Liberal Jewish Movement of France. He was also the brother of Emmanuel Kessler, a journalist.

Kessler began studying at the École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud in 1977. He earned his Agrégation in philosophy in 1980,[3] and later a master's degree in philosophy with a concentration on Baruch Spinoza.[4] He was admitted into the École nationale d'administration (ENA), and upon graduating was assigned to the Conseil d'État.[5] Kessler gave lectures at Sciences Po from 1989 to 1991, and at the ENA from 1991 to 1998.

From 1996 to 1997, Kessler served as the Director General of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA).[6] He then served as director for culture and communication to Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. He participated in the Young Leaders Program organized by the French-American Foundation in 1999.[7] After this, Kessler served as an executive for numerous French corporations. From 2001 to 2004, Kessler was the Director General of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC).[8] From 2005 to 2008, he was Director of France Culture.[9] He was President of the Conseil supérieur des musiques actuelles from 2006 to 2009. He was Deputy Director of Radio France in charge of content strategy from 2008 to 2009.[10]

Kessler directed the magazine Les Inrockuptibles, as well as the French language version of the Huffington Post from 2011 to 2012.[11] He worked to help RMC Story, then called Numéro 23, rise to prominence with promotion of racial and sexual diversity.[12] He supported the Isota Association, which promoted marriage and adoption for homosexual couples.[13]

Kessler was the adviser of radio and music to François Hollande from 2012 to 2014. He moved to the private sector after that, directing the cinema sector of Orange.[14]

After the death of his wife, Sophie Mesguich, he was remarried to Cyril Pigot in 2013.[15] Kessler died on 3 February 2020 at the age of 60.[16]

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mort de David Kessler, directeur d'Orange Content et ancien patron de France Culture. 4 February 2020. Le Monde. French.
  2. Web site: Arrêté du 17 mai 2012 portant nomination à la présidence de la République. 17 May 2012. Legifrance.gouv. French.
  3. Web site: Extrait de la fiche de M. David KESSLER. Société Générale de Presse. French.
  4. Web site: David Kessler, un homme discret dans le PAF. 31 August 2005. Le Monde. French.
  5. Web site: Fac-similé JO du 10/03/1989, page 03153. 10 March 1989. Legifrance.gouv. French.
  6. Web site: David Kessler. 30 September 2004. Les Echos. French.
  7. Web site: Past Classes. French-American Foundation. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140831023632/http://www.frenchamerican.org/youngleadersclasses. 31 August 2014.
  8. Web site: Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée. Fonds de la direction générale. 22 April 2014. Archives Nationales. French.
  9. Web site: Rupture ou continuité à la tête de Radio France?. 21 March 2018. BFM Business. French.
  10. Web site: David Kessler, directeur de publication du Huffington Post, nommé conseiller à la culture et aux médias à l'Elysée. 16 May 2012. Huffington Post. French.
  11. Web site: David Kessler : des "Inrocks" à l'Élysée. 16 May 2012. Le Point. French.
  12. Web site: Pascal Houzelot, l'inconnu le plus célèbre du PAF. 1 June 2015. Les Echos. French.
  13. Web site: "Pourquoi nous créons l'association Isota". 17 May 2011. Le Monde. French.
  14. Web site: Un ex-conseiller d'Hollande rejoint Orange. 12 November 2014. FreeNews. French.
  15. Web site: David Kessler, un ami très influent dans l'audiovisuel public. 20 June 2017. Le Journal du Dimanche. French.
  16. Web site: French Media Veteran David Kessler Dies at 60. 4 February 2020. Variety.