André Essel
André Essel | |
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André Essel in Paris, 2002 | |
| Born | 4 September 1918 Toulouse, France |
| Died | 31 March 2005 (aged 86) Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, political activist |
| Known for | Co-founder of Fnac |
André Essel (4 September 1918 – 31 March 2005) was the co-founder of Fnac, originally Fédération nationale d’achats des cadres, or National Purchasing Federation for Middle Managers, alongside Max Théret. He was also an anti-fascist activist and a believer in Trotskyism.
Achievements[edit]
Essel was awarded the French Cross of War honouring his involvement in the Second World War on the side of the Allies against the Axis forces.
Forming of Fnac[edit]
In 1953, he met Max Théret, the other co-founder of Fnac, and the two conceived the idea of forming a new buyers club through a magazine called Contact. Founded a year later in 1954, Fnac was exclusive to its members only, offering sharp discounts on its products, based on the founders socialist principles.[1] Their aim was to improve the lives of the workers, not through higher salaries but through lower prices. In 1974, Fnac began selling books at 80% off the RRP, sparking protests and a law, in 1982, that limited the level of discounts that could be offered on books.[2] He left the company in 1983 and was replaced by Roger Kerinec, the SGCC president.
Works[edit]
- I wanted to change the world : memories. - Stock, 1985.
- New edition followed by interviews with Perle Scemla in 2001 in memory of the book. - ISBN 2-913867-29-4
References[edit]
External links[edit]
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