Philips, Frits

▪ 2006

Frederik Jacques Philips 

      Dutch industrialist (b. April 16, 1905, Eindhoven, Neth.—d. Dec. 5, 2005, Eindhoven), during a 48-year career (1930–77) with Philips Electronics, oversaw its expansion from a family-run manufacturer into a vast multinational enterprise and Europe's largest electronics firm. After obtaining (1929) a mechanical engineering degree from Delft Technical University, Philips joined the company as a factory manager. He rose through the ranks to assistant managing director (1935–39), managing director (1939–61), and president and CEO (1961–71) and remained a member of the board until 1977. During World War II, Philips did not flee to the U.S. with the rest of the company's management but instead remained in Eindhoven, operating several factories, including a small concern inside the Vught concentration camp, near Eindhoven. He was credited with having saved the lives of several hundred Jewish workers, and in 1996 Israel awarded him a Yad Vashem medal. Philips was an avid supporter of the PSV Eindhoven association football (soccer) club (established by his family in 1913) and was the founder (1986) of an influential international business round table. Eindhoven's concert hall was renamed in his honour on his 90th birthday, and on his 100th birthday the city declared itself Frits Philips City for the day.

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