Philippe Letellier

Panache – noun: a stylish, original and very confident way of doing things that makes people admire you (Cambridge Dictionary definition).

After 12 years, Philippe Letellier has decided to hand over the reins of his Vice-chairmanship of ITEA. “Change is important, and no-one is indispensable. This is the right moment for ITEA and for me to find a new impetus.” So how can you best describe Philippe, for many the constant factor for the past 12 years, in the field, on the stage and among friends and colleagues? As many have witnessed throughout the years, Philippe has always seemed to be a natural on the stage. I think a fitting word to describe him would be to say he has always done things with 'panache'. But before finally relinquishing his duties, how does he look back on his time at ITEA, an organisation that has become almost synonymous with his name?

Destiny

“In some ways, I think I was destined for my role within ITEA. At a very early age I was keen to learn about advanced physics and when I was 14 or so I read Einstein's theories of relativity as others might read the bible. I have always been interested in the impact that technology can have on the world and so I decided to take an MBA degree to complement my computer science degree and PhD. This decision was a game-changer in my career. I have worked in start-ups, large companies and academia, so I have gained a good sense of where priorities lie and how these three worlds operate. This has been very useful for me in my ITEA role. I remember being asked by Gérard Roucairol 12 years ago to replace him as Vice-chairman,” Philippe recalls, “and to this day I am still grateful to him for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to serve in this role, which is geared towards ensuring that the projects deliver real impact.”

Operational guy

In addition, Philippe has also been a member of the ITEA Presidium, which is responsible for defining the ITEA strategy in collaboration with the ITEA Board, and he praises the level of creativity that constantly generates renewal and new ideas. When asked whether he ever wanted to become Chairman, Philippe replies, “For me, the Chairmanship is not a better job. It's a different role. Ego and hierarchy do not come into it. Our strength is as a team. And our team reflects our strengths. As Vice-chairman, my role is more oriented towards the projects. The Chair is more oriented towards the programme. The two roles are complementary. I am an operational guy and Vice-chairman suited my qualities.” Even though this meant being away from home on a regular basis? “Indeed, this is a role in which travel is an integral aspect. I spent more time on the road that at home, that is true. Despite this 'burden', I had a unique opportunity to get to know new people, discover new technologies, businesses and markets.”

Multicultural

Philippe cites another unique aspect of being part of the ITEA Community when he says that he has never worked in a more trusted zone. “I have realised that you never need to fight your corner but that you achieve a lot by cooperating. And by doing this, you learn new things week in, week out. I have to challenge myself to stay ahead of the game and challenge others to achieve even more. In this way we enrich our knowledge and our intellect. I have gained so much more understanding of how to manage R&D projects so that they deliver impact in the market. The methodologies that I set up within ITEA will certainly pay dividends in my consulting work. Furthermore, I must mention the multicultural dimension. For a Frenchman, it is not always easy to work with the Dutch, Germans, British or Turkish, for example. Big differences exist in the way we engage in relationships. Sometimes you can feel offended but you exercise control over your emotions and, bit by bit, you begin to understand that others have different ways of doing things. It has been a real challenge for me but I have had a good learning environment within ITEA. I am much more aware now about the nature of these cultural differences and understand how you can use them in a positive way. This is what happens in ITEA on a daily basis. And you can see it in some fantastic projects where consortium partners from different countries and cultures come together to produce impactful results.”