Tribute to Philippe Martin

Philippe Martin, l’homme qui n’avait pas peur

Il semblait que rien ne puisse arrêter Philippe : ni le brouillard des idées, ni les embûches techniques, ni les obstacles politiques. Il avait l’audace de ceux qui font métier de trouver la vérité, mais pas l’arrogance de ceux qui croient la détenir. Comme tous les vrais scientifiques, il connaissait les limites de son savoir. Il avait la modestie et le calme des savants.

Ses travaux couvrent un champ très vaste. Macroéconomie, crises financières, questions monétaires, finances publiques, économie géographique, commerce international, économie des conflits, dans tous ces domaines ses contributions étaient précises, rigoureuses et innovantes. Curieux de tout, il abordait chaque nouvelle question avec rigueur, mais aussi avec gourmandise.

Au Conseil d’analyse économique, il a eu l’occasion de concilier volonté d’être utile et exigence de vérité. Il a su insuffler cet état d’esprit aux chercheurs dont il s’est attaché à mobiliser l’expertise pour nourrir la décision. Il attendait d’eux qu’ils aillent au bout de leur science, mais pas au-delà. Conscient lui-même de ce périmètre, il s’attachait à déboucher sur des conclusions nettes, mais fondées.

Il était vigilant aussi à l’égard des responsables politiques, qu’il a régulièrement conseillés. Il connaissait leur penchant pour les accommodements avec la vérité et savait leur rappeler les limites à ne pas franchir.

Pédagogue talentueux, qui aimait le métier d’enseignant, Philippe était aussi un entrepreneur. Il nourrissait de grandes ambitions pour l’École d’Affaires publiques qu’il voyait comme un vecteur de rénovation de l’État. Le temps ne lui a pas permis de mener à bien ses nombreux projets.  

C’était un homme de convictions. Il savait au service de quoi inscrire son action et n’hésitait pas à s’exprimer quand il avait le sentiment que l’action publique déviait de la ligne sur la base de laquelle il s’était engagé.

Sa finesse, sa rigueur et son honnêteté vont beaucoup nous manquer. 

Contributed by Jean Pisani-Ferry December 20th 2023

We will miss Philippe Martin enormously for so many reasons.

Philippe was a genuinely generous and kind person, a formidable friend. He was a brilliant, extremely well-rounded economist and yet very humble. His academic work on trade and wars, economic geography and public policies, globalisation and financial crises, European policies, exchange rates and trade, … is extremely creative and influential.

He could bring wisdom, rigour, and intelligence to any discussion. We were lucky to be his co-authors. Working with Philippe was a learning experience, a friendly adventure, a joyful intellectual quest on subjects which mattered, for the social good. The subtlety and power of Philippe’s mind were a shining light. In a world where we so often lose sight of what is important, of how we can engage and solve problems for the public good, Philippe found the right angle to make things move forward. He was measured in his words but always the most pertinent. Highly cultured, empathetic, engaged, he was a humanist tirelessly working for the common good anywhere he was. He had a deep European engagement; he participated in many policy reports to improve the Euro Area and the EU and he co-chaired the Franco German Council of Economic Experts. A superb Vice-President of the CEPR, he was the central Architect of the CEPR Paris new home.

Philippe, there were so many great things left for you to do in the world. Your compass was a guide to many; your generosity changed lives; you were an incredible friend. Our loss is immense and it is up to all of us now to carry forward the values of kindness, integrity and rigour you cared so much about.

Contributed by Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas and Hélène Rey 18th December 2023

Philippe Martin was an exceptionally talented economist, a truly committed European and an exemplary institution builder at both national and international levels.

In terms of economic research, in addition to his contributions to international trade and economic geography, Philippe made significant advances in international macroeconomics.  His collaborations with Helene Rey and Nicolas Couerdacier on financial globalisation and international asset trade influenced my own research agenda, while his joint work with Giancarlo Corsetti and Paolo Pesenti helped to integrate advances in international trade theory (such as the importance of the extensive margin) into international macroeconomic models. 

Philippe made foundational contributions to our understanding of the euro area as a monetary union. I have repeatedly turned to his 2017 AER article with Tomas Philippon (“Inspecting the Mechanism: Leverage and the Great Recession in the Eurozone”) which provides a remarkably useful framework for analysing the roles of national economic policies (including fiscal policies and macro prudential policies) in providing macroeconomic stabilisation in a diverse monetary union.  He was also part of the remarkable group of French and German economists that wrote the landmark 2018 CEPR report Reconciling risk sharing with market discipline: A constructive approach to euro area reform.

Since I joined the ECB in June 2019, Philippe provided many valuable insights to me, especially in relation to the economic impact of the pandemic and, more recently, the role of national fiscal policy in containing the 2021-2022 inflation surge. 

It was a pleasure to collaborate with Philippe on various CEPR initiatives and during our shared tenure in the team of managing editors of Economic Policy.  In addition to his institutional contributions to Sciences Po and CAE, Philippe was very supportive in helping so many early-stage researchers build their careers in the European economics profession: he generated many “positive externalities”. 

At a personal level, Philippe was excellent company and a true friend. He will be greatly missed.

Contributed by Philip Lane, 20th December 2023.

J'ai eu la chance de rencontrer Philippe dans les années 2000 et, du CAE au Cercle des Economistes, nous ne nous sommes jamais perdus de vu. Cette rencontre a eu un impact profond sur mon développement intellectuel et ma carrière.
Philippe n'était pas seulement un chercheur remarquable, prolixe et brillant. Il avait aussi à cœur de mettre l'économie au service de l'intérêt général et des politiques publiques. Il aimait la France et ses habitants, et les a servis au mieux de ses capacités à travers ses nombreux engagements.
Charismatique, il m'a convaincu de rentrer au CAE lorsqu'il en assurait la direction. Nous avons pu travailler ensemble sur des notes qu'il supervisait.
Il m'a ébloui par son sérieux, sa curiosité, son humilité et son courage. Il ne reculait jamais devant les sujets difficiles qu'il abordait avec finesse.
Nous avons tous perdu un collègue remarquable et, pour ceux qui avait la chance de le connaitre, un ami précieux.
La communauté des économistes est en deuil.

Contributed by Emmanuelle Auriol, 21st December 2023.

Philippe leaves a big hole. He was a productive scholar, an academic entrepreneur, a true European, and a superb friend.

As already noted, Philippe made important contributions to trade, macro and the analysis of European integration. I always marvelled at his rare ability to cut across the silos into which much of the profession shelter, without ever giving up rigour. He was instrumental in building up a top-class economics department at Sciences Po. He was influential in key fora where academics talk to top-level policymakers, again never compromising his intellectual integrity. In all these endeavours, he displayed a modesty that belied his achievements. His answer to compliments was to smile. 

I met him when I moved almost 30 years ago to the Graduate Institute in Geneva, which he had joined after his doctoral work. He acted as a junior colleague but I was struck by his maturity as a researcher, his intense interest for policy and his commitment to European integration. When we let him go to Paris, I knew two things: it would be a great loss for the Institute and he would change the economics profession landscape in Paris. I underestimated both.  

I am trying hard to remember his smile.

Contributed by Charles Wyplosz, 21st December 2023.

C’est avec une immense tristesse que nous avons appris la mort de notre ami Philippe. Pour lui, le CAE était un peu devenu sa maison. Pour nous, il l’a marquée d’une empreinte, tant intellectuelle que personnelle, que nous ressentons encore chaque jour.

Si l’image de Philippe et celle du CAE sont indissociables, c’est parce qu’institutionnellement il y aura passé plus de dix ans de sa vie, d’abord en tant que membre, dès 2012, puis en tant que Président délégué à partir de 2018. C’est dans ces fonctions qu’il a contribué à forger l’identité unique de l’institution, à renforcer sa place respectée dans le débat public. À force d’énergie et de patience, il en a fait un acteur incontournable en appui de la décision publique.

Au CAE, il a cultivé sa passion de la chose publique. Car Philippe n’est pas un chercheur dans sa tour d’ivoire. Il souhaite au contraire que le savoir contribue au débat. Et sa vision de l’économie est celle d’une discipline ouverte, curieuse et qui sert l’intérêt général, pas celle d’une science sûre d’elle-même et dominatrice dans le champ des sciences sociales.

Cette passion pour la chose publique, c’est une passion intellectuelle bien sûr, mais on sent qu’elle répond aussi à un ressort plus intime : à la fois une exigence morale très personnelle, celle d’aider les autres, toujours, et aussi un certain goût pour l’action. Car Philippe, homme discret et infiniment respectueux, a quand même, quand il le faut, un petit côté madré et il apprécie une certaine forme de combat. Il ne rechigne jamais à monter au front, à mouiller la chemise pour défendre l’expertise du Conseil auprès des politiques ou des journalistes, et n’hésite pas à se frotter à des sujets épineux (immigration, cannabis, successions) pour éclairer le débat public.

Il a également impulsé une innovation radicale au CAE. Alors que, jusque-là, les travaux du Conseil reposaient essentiellement sur des synthèses de la littérature académique existante, il souhaite que le Conseil produise aussi des recherches originales, avec le même degré de rigueur que la recherche académique et la même réactivité que la décision publique. C’est à son sens le meilleur moyen de faire fructifier l’expertise économique dans le débat public. Il fait ainsi du CAE une fenêtre ouverte sur le monde de la recherche dans l’écosystème administratif. Cette appétence pour le dialogue et la coopération entre des mondes qui trop souvent s’ignorent aura montré toute sa valeur durant la crise du Covid, pendant laquelle Philippe mobilisera, avec une grande flexibilité et une rapidité hors norme, un large éventail d’expertises au sein du CAE pour aider à dessiner des politiques publiques inédites.

Pour satisfaire cette ambition, Philippe s’est battu pour renforcer et transformer l’équipe permanente du Conseil afin d’appuyer les membres dans leurs analyses. Car si les membres offrent gracieusement leur temps et leurs efforts au Conseil, les travaux du CAE n’en nécessitent pas moins un minimum de ressources humaines. C’est ainsi que Philippe va forger au fil des cinq années où il préside le CAE, plus qu’une équipe, une vraie petite famille. Un groupe à son image : passionné, chaleureux, résolu. C’est à cette famille-là qu’il manque aujourd’hui cruellement. Une famille en deuil, qui gardera Philippe dans son cœur, avec sa gentillesse, sa modestie, son humour et son intelligence pétillante.

Contributed by Conseil d’analyse économique, 21st December 2023.

I met Philippe about thirty years ago when both of us had just returned to Europe after our PhDs in the US. He immediately became one of my references for rigorous academic research that is relevant to economic policy, in particular in the European context.  An example for anyone who aspires to make a difference through the translation of solid empirical evidence into policy advice. I always found his work very clear and insightful and I was impressed by the breadth of topics he covered during his career and his willingness to move to areas that were relevant at a particular moment in time (as happened during the pandemic).

And his motivation to make a difference with his research also came with his generosity to help build and later strengthen the community of researchers in Europe through his efforts in many French institutions as well as CEPR. Many of us owe him enormous gratitude for the state of economic research in Europe today.

What a great loss. We will all miss him.

Contributed by Antonio Fatás, 21 December 2023.

The passing of Philippe is a terrible loss, for our profession, and for Sciences Po. 

I am personally immensely grateful to Philippe, who shaped my own career. He was my Master's thesis advisor, and the person responsible for my interest in international economics. Later, he convinced me to join the economics department at Sciences Po. 

Philippe had a creative mind. He was sharp and subtle. He was also an incredible institution builder. He was a foundational pillar of the economics department at Sciences Po, which he steered towards the most amazing academic success.

But most importantly, Philippe was kind, gentle, and funny. Philippe, I feel honored to have been your colleague.

Contributed by Thomas Chaney, 21 December 2023.

I knew Philippe mainly through CEPR meetings, but we always found time for personal communication in addition to the discussions on economics. He was such a nice person that it breaks the heart to think that I will not see him again. I remember vividly his visit in ESSIM 2001, which took place in Israel. We went on a tour to Jerusalem on the Saturday after the meeting ended. I found out then that Philippe was a religious Christian. It was surprising and moving at the same time. He had a nice paper on the tendency of countries to go to war and we discussed its relevance to my country as well. It comes back to my mind especially now, when we are in the midst of a terrible war. 

CEPR has lost a number of relatively young economists lately – Alberto Alesina, Alberto Giovannini, Daniel Cohen and now Philippe Martin. It has made our world poorer.

Contributed by Joseph Zeira, 21st December 2023.

On dirait que les meilleurs partent les premiers. Philippe était un économiste de premier plan, très attachant par sa gentillesse, sa générosité, sa compétence, sa détermination, sa rigueur, sa modestie, sa grande exigence de tirer le meilleur parti de lui-même et des autres. Il a fait franchir une marche au CAE en conservant le meilleur de ce que lui avait légué Agnès Bénassy et en ajoutant l’exigence que le CAE participe lui-même à la révolution de la crédibilité de la recherche empirique en économie sur chaque question abordée. Il nous quitte beaucoup trop tôt, il avait encore tant de choses à offrir et à donner, c’est une grande perte pour la profession et au-delà pour l’expertise économique et le lien avec la société civile et le monde des décideurs.

Contributed by Alain Trannoy, 21st December 2023.

I met Philippe when he was on the French Council of Economic Advisors, and I was on the German counterpart.  It was the middle of the Eurocrisis and a terrible debate was driving the ‘North’ and ‘South’ of Europe apart.  We worked together over many years in designing and proposing schemes to strengthen the economic framework of the euro area.  With his acute sense of what is economically reasonable but also politically feasible, Philippe was always a fantastic ally. 

A highly accomplished academic, extremely well connected and universally respected, Philippe could be relied on to engage, especially when issues where of first order importance.  The report of seven French and seven German(speaking) economists was a prime example of what he stood for:  an economically sound policy package that combined elements from both sides of the debate in a coherent and intelligent way.

While Philippe possessed the spirit of a fighter, his strategic brilliance stopped him from engaging in unnecessary battles. Instead, he approached differing opinions with calm consideration, and when faced with challenges, he would tactfully retreat to strategize. When we had setbacks in negotiations with CEPR’s French supporters or when we failed to agree in the Franco-German Council, Philippe could be trusted to never give up and we usually found a way around the obstacles. 

Philippe was instrumental in CEPR’s ‘path to Paris’.  Leveraging his standing and credibility, he advocated for the project, securing support from the management of SciencesPo and facilitating our establishment in Paris. His role as CEPR's Vice President for Europe underscored our commitment to a European perspective, transcending national boundaries. Philippe's last service involved representing CEPR at the inauguration of our new hub in Berlin, a task he executed brilliantly, mirroring his consistent excellence. Beyond his professional contributions, Philippe was a warm, generous, and beautiful person. I consider myself fortunate to have called him a friend.

Contributed by Beatrice Weder di Mauro, 22nd December 2023

,I remember Philippe above all from working together at the first year undergraduate class The Economy. He was always dedicated in his teaching despite his numerous tasks and obligations, working at improving the learning and success chances of students. It seems an understatement to say that he will be missed.

I hope his family and friends find solace in the strong imprint he has left behind in memories and institutions.

Contributed by Kerstin Holzheu, 21st December 2023

La disparition de Philippe Martin crée un vide immense dans la profession et dans la vie publique à Paris. Philippe était un chercheur brillant et doué de cette rare qualité du doute, talents qu’il avait dédié à la société.

J’ai eu la chance de connaître Philippe il y a quelque trente ans. Ses analyses sur l’intégration, la géographie économique et l’impact des fonds structurels européens m’avaient alors frappé par leur justesse et la limpidité avec lesquelles il savait les transmettre. La même réflexion pourrait être faite à propos des multiples sujets que cet esprit curieux a défrichés. Une telle capacité à mobiliser les développements récents de notre discipline sur des questions centrales de politique économique est rare, et l’a naturellement conduit à prendre en charge le Conseil d’Analyse Économique en 2018.

J’ai eu la chance également d’avoir Philippe comme collègue à l’Université. Son impact y a été énorme et a contribué à forger toute une génération d’étudiants brillants dont beaucoup sont devenus à leur tour des collègues. Dans les séminaires de recherche que nous co-animions, Philippe pour la « macro », moi pour le « trade », Philippe était toujours attentif, synthétique, bienveillant, souriant. Il portait littéralement nos étudiants vers l’exigence et l’excellence.

J’ai eu enfin le bonheur d’avoir Philippe comme co-auteur, et ceci encore très récemment, ce qui ajoute à l’incompréhension absolue face à sa disparition. Prodigieusement rapide, toujours précis lors de nos rendez-vous de travail, souriant lorsque des difficultés apparaissaient, Philippe avait les bonnes intuitions, une immense culture économique et un esprit de synthèse redoutable.

Nous avons perdu un collègue et ami, mais le son de sa voix, son sourire, sa bienveillance et son élégance nous habiteront longtemps.

Contributed by Lionel Fontagné, 22nd December 2023.

Philippe brillait par son enthousiasme, sa générosité et sa sincérité. SciencesPo, son département d’économie et la profession dans son ensemble lui doivent beaucoup, pour ses contributions scientifiques, pour son engagement à faire le pont entre la recherche et les politiques publiques, mais aussi pour son soutien sans relâche aux jeunes chercheurs et son attachement à transmettre ses connaissances et son expérience à ses étudiants, avec une pédagogie remarquable. Personnellement, pour tout le soutien qu’il m’a apporté depuis mes débuts en tant que chercheur, je lui resterai toujours redevable. Philippe va tellement nous manquer à tous.

Contributed by Nicolas Coeurdacier, 22nd December 2023

Dear Philippe,
I am very sad to her about your departure from this world. You were always very kind to me and to all the young group of PhD students back at CERAS in the early 2000. You were a very bright researcher and a very warm colleague. All my thoughts are with your family and friends, and I pray for them to find the strength they need in this very difficult moment. I still remember when, while being a theorist, you
started learning Stata and we helped you every now and then to work with data and econometrics. I find this event very meaningful of your approach to work and life. No matter how hard it could be, you were always ready to embrace change and reinvent yourself. May you rest in peace.

Contributed by Giordano Mion, 22nd December 2023.

Goodbye, Philippe.

We met in the early days of ESSIM in Tarragona. I remember our discussions in the seminar rooms but also our chats on the beach. You stood out for your intelligence, your sense of humor, your kindness, your passion for economics, policy and politics.

Your contribution to the CEPR building process has been outstanding and evidently it was not the only organization that benefited greatly from your rare qualities as an institution builder.  

You will be deeply missed not only by your family and close friends but also by the countless people that met you through the profession.   

Contributed by Graziella Bertocchi, 22nd December 2023

I did not know Philippe all that well personally: we had lunch once since I joined Sciences Po two years ago. He was busy, so was I, and his death is a reminder that I should have lunch with colleagues more often, even if I am busy… To me, Philippe was a major source of inspiration, like Daniel Cohen, Esther Duflo or Thomas Piketty, other major economists that my generation of French economists tries to emulate. What made Philippe unique and inspirational was his ability to be a top-level researcher, while at the same time holding top-level policy positions. These jobs require very different skills, and it is very rare to find that much “esprit de géométrie” and “esprit de finesse” in the same individual. Philippe really wanted to convert research into action, and his jobs at the CAE and CEPR demonstrate that. I am sure he wanted to achieve much more, and yet he has already achieved so much. He will be deeply missed. All my thoughts go to this loved ones. 

Contributed by Clement de Chaisemartin, 22nd December 2023.

In addition to his notable contributions to economics, Philippe's wise smile, calm, constructive attitude, and benevolent strength will be cherished and remembered. Though we didn't collaborate and only met at conferences, Philippe undeniably left a profound and positive mark on me. I’m grateful and saddened. My heartfelt condolences extend to all those who held him close.

Contributed by Dirk Niepelt, 22nd December 2023.

The Economics Department at Sciences Po owes its existence largely to Philippe. 

He was the first chair from 2008 to 2013, and his communicative energy convinced people to join him in what might have seemed like a risky adventure at first. He laid the groundwork by setting up a master’s and doctoral programme, recruiting many young international researchers, and establishing the rules that guarantee the efficient functioning of an academic unit. Mixing the best international practices with a certain creativity in the design of the department, he ensured that our reputation would grow very quickly. All this was done while maintaining the original spirit of building a powerful but friendly group.

Although he went on to other adventures, in the cabinet of the Ministry of Finance, then at the Conseil d'Analyse Économique, as Vice-president of Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), and most recently as Dean of the École d'Affaires Publiques at Sciences Po and on the Board of the Fondation nationale des sciences politiques (FNSP), he remained very attached to the Department and always had an influential and insightful voice. While brilliantly assuming high-level responsibilities, Philippe continued to conduct high-level academic research. He argued that economic research is less interesting without economic policy application, but conversely that the practice of economic policy in isolation from research runs the risk of gradual irrelevance. Many students will also remember him as a brilliant teacher. Throughout those years, Philippe never stopped teaching, including to very large audiences at Sciences Po, with a rare talent for making students understand how useful economics can be to decipher and act on complex real-world problems. He knew he could move on to other projects with confidence that the foundations he had laid would allow the department to continue to flourish.

We will miss Philippe terribly, as a colleague and as a friend. Philippe had immense personal qualities. He could formulate frank critical statements, but never in a mean way, always morally impeccable. He left us much too soon. We will try to nurture the gift he has given us in the years to come.

Contributed by Sciences Po, 22nd December 2023

Philippe’s untimely demise represents a real loss to all of us in the CEPR ‘family’ and indeed to the wider world of economics and policy. Not only was he an outstanding researcher and policy economist, but he was also a great servant of the profession and of CEPR in particular. He was active across several CEPR policy programs and also had a spell as editor of Economic Policy. But perhaps his most significant contribution to CEPR will turn out to be the part he played in making our shift in operations to Paris a reality. He was also a thoroughly decent individual. I count it an honour to have known him.

Contributed by Charles Bean, 22nd December 2023.

Lorsque j’ai rencontré Philippe pour la première fois, en cette rentrée de septembre 1987 sur les bancs de l’Université Paris-Dauphine, j’étais bien loin d’imaginer les 36 années qui allaient suivre. N’ayant ni l’un ni l’autre suivi le parcours universitaire classique en économie, notre culture dans le domaine était mince en ce début d’année de master (on disait DEA dans cette époque lointaine). C’est ce qui nous a immédiatement rapprochés. Nous nous sommes d’abord entraidés, puis nous avons parlé de tous les sujets. J’ai tout de suite aimé sa manière d’exprimer calmement son point de vue, comme une évidence.

Philippe est ensuite parti faire son doctorat à Washington. Lorsqu’il est revenu à Paris, au CEPII, nous avons partagé le même bureau et repris le fil tranquille de nos conversations. La suite est une sorte de tresse dans laquelle chacun suit son chemin tout en croisant l’autre périodiquement. Chercheur de haut niveau reconnu par ses pairs, il aurait pu continuer sur sa lancée et accumuler les publications dans les meilleures revues internationales. Mais cela ne l’intéressait pas. Il a préféré se lancer des défis successifs – aller là où il aurait le plus d’impact sur la décision publique. Par souci d’efficacité et non par ambition. D’ailleurs, il ne craignait pas d’irriter tel ou tel décideur en lui présentant un point de vue en contradiction avec la vox populi, sans se départir de son petit sourire. Gentil mais pas courtisan.

J’ai beaucoup admiré la nouvelle ambition qu’il a su donner au CAE après moi, mais aussi son énergie à rapprocher les points de vue en franco-allemand. Si nous n’étions pas toujours d’accord, l’idéologie était absente de nos échanges et la confiance toujours présente. Nous nous croisions périodiquement lors de tables rondes, séminaires, réunions de réflexion, etc. Philippe était toujours disponible – son agenda semblait totalement élastique. Toujours de bonne humeur, il savait concentrer la discussion sur ce qui importait vraiment.

Aujourd’hui je perds une sorte de jumeau professionnel qui va beaucoup me manquer.

Contributed by Agnes Benassy-Quere, 22nd December 2023.

J’ai eu la chance de connaître Philippe dans ses nombreuses incarnations professionnelles, depuis son arrivée au CEPII dans les années quatre-vingt-dix. Philippe est pour moi l’exemple accompli de l’économiste mettant l’excellence académique du plus haut niveau au service de la cité. Comme peu d’autres, son approche scientifique d’une rigueur sans concession était associée à un intérêt profond pour les questions pratiques, pour éclairer le plus utilement possible les décisions, sans hésiter à s’engager pour les causes qu’il soutenait. Avec sa démarche caractéristique, face à une question de politique économique, si complexe soit-elle : que nous apprend la littérature économique sur le sujet ? Non pas pour réduire le champ de la réflexion au périmètre étroitement balisé par les publications, mais plutôt pour trouver un fondement solide sur lequel projeter une réflexion toujours créative, toujours ambitieuse. Et l’étendre ensuite, avec un appétit et une curiosité contagieux, à une grande variété de sujets.

Philippe m’a fait entrer au CAE, et c’est pour moi dans ce cadre qu’il aura été le plus marquant. Engagé, exigent, fin, il s’est révélé un leader bienveillant et entraînant, l’ambiance chaleureuse et enthousiaste qui s’est créée autour de lui en témoignait sans doute possible. Tout cela sans se départir de son calme, de son humilité, de sa gentillesse et de son humour, qui le rendaient si profondément attachant. 

Contributed by Sébastien Jean, 22nd December 2023

La disparition brutale de Philippe Martin le dimanche 17 décembre 2023 a créé la stupéfaction. Philippe n'était pas seulement un économiste de renommée internationale, reconnu pour sa finesse d’analyse, sa créativité, sa rigueur et son intelligence. Plus que cela, Philippe était une personne d'une grande humanité, bienveillante, à l'écoute, et dont les conseils étaient justes et avisés.

J'ai été impressionné par Philippe, dès notre première rencontre, lorsque, jeune docteur, j’ai assisté à son séminaire de recrutement à l’Université Paris 1. Sa capacité à simplifier et présenter des raisonnements complexes et sophistiqués de manière accessible et intuitive était à la fois remarquable et inspirante. Ce séminaire reste gravé dans ma mémoire.

Parallèlement à son recrutement à Paris 1, Philippe devient chroniqueur à Libération. Ses chroniques, écrites entre 2003 et 2010, se distinguent par leur clarté et leur capacité à rendre des concepts économiques importants accessibles, en lien direct avec l'actualité. J’en étais un avide lecteur et je les intégrais fréquemment dans mes cours pour illustrer la pertinence de l'économie appliquée. Je garde un souvenir vif de sa chronique, au titre subtil, ‘Le coût amer du café’. Il y dénonce avec acuité l'hypocrisie des pays développés dans l’industrie agricole, qui consiste à soutenir le commerce équitable– une démarche sans grand coût pour eux, tout en maintenant des subventions à l'exportation nuisibles pour les producteurs des pays en développement. Dans une autre chronique marquante, ‘Les dessous du « made in France »’, il critique la réaction politique face à la mondialisation, soulignant l’évolution du commerce international en un commerce de tâches plutôt que de biens, et note : « Plus que la libéralisation commerciale, c'est la baisse des coûts de communication au niveau international qui rend délocalisables des tâches qui ne l'étaient pas auparavant, et le protectionnisme tarifaire ne pourrait revenir sur cette nouvelle forme de la mondialisation. »

Ses chroniques ne manquaient jamais de stimuler la réflexion et de provoquer des discussions enrichissantes. Cette passion pour la diffusion des idées économiques l'a naturellement conduit à s’impliquer dans le débat public et la vie politique. Ainsi, en 2017, il participe à l’élaboration du programme présidentiel d’Emmanuel Macron. L’année suivante, fidèle à son courage et à ses convictions, Philippe, en collaboration avec Philippe Aghion et Jean Pisani-Ferry, fustige « l’image d’un pouvoir indifférent à la question sociale ».

Au-delà de son implication active dans le débat public, Philippe bénéficiait d'une renommée internationale en tant que chercheur. Sa carrière académique l'a mené à l'étranger, avec un doctorat soutenu aux États-Unis et un poste de chercheur à la Federal Reserve Bank de New York. Fort de cette expérience, il a diffusé une exigence du très haut niveau au sein de notre communauté, que ce soit à Lille, à Paris 1 ou à Sciences Po. Lors des conférences et séminaires, Philippe posait toujours des questions pertinentes, essayant de comprendre chaque recherche présentée, en offrant des conseils constructifs pour les améliorer. Généreux, il soutenait les plus jeunes en partageant ses fonds de recherche et ses idées.

L’un de ses domaines de recherche privilégié touchait aux questions d’économie internationale et de géographie économique, avec toujours un regard sur l’actualité. Dans un article au titre célèbre Make Trade Not War, co-écrit avec Thierry Mayer et Mathias Thoenig, il étudie la relation ambiguë entre mondialisation et conflits (VoxTalk avec Philippe). Deux pays dont le commerce bilatéral est important ont moins de chances de s'engager dans un conflit bilatéral. Cependant, ils mettent en lumière un paradoxe : l'ouverture commerciale multilatérale augmente le risque de conflit. En effet, lorsque les pays sont plus ouverts au commerce mondial, leur dépendance bilatérale diminue, réduisant ainsi le coût économique d'un conflit régional et rendant la guerre bilatérale plus probable. La mondialisation n’est donc pas toujours un facteur de paix. Cette analyse s'avère particulièrement pertinente dans le contexte actuel (Vox column), comme le montre l'attaque de la Russie contre l'Ukraine. L'Europe, dépendante de l'énergie russe, favorise le commerce multilatéral de la Russie, réduisant ainsi sa dépendance bilatérale envers l'Ukraine. Cette situation affaiblit les incitations de la Russie à éviter l'escalade d'un différend bilatéral en un conflit militaire.

Enfin, j’aimerais souligner la créativité de Philippe dans l’article Time to Ship During Financial Crises, qui m’a offert le privilège de travailler avec lui, Nicolas Berman et Thierry Mayer (Vox column). Lors de la crise financière mondiale de 2008, nous avons tous été frappés par l'effondrement du commerce international. S’il n'est pas surprenant que le commerce diminue lorsqu'un pays traverse une récession, l'ampleur de cet effondrement a retenu notre attention et celle des décideurs politiques. Philippe a eu l’intuition brillante que les délais de livraison pouvaient expliquer une partie de cet effondrement. Notre recherche a confirmé que les délais de livraison des marchandises à travers le monde exacerbent l'impact des crises financières sur le commerce. Plus les délais de livraison sont longs, plus l’exportateur doit attendre pour être payé. Or, en période de crise financière, la probabilité de faillite des importateurs augmente, ainsi que le risque de non-paiement. Les exportateurs réagissent à ce risque en augmentant leur prix et en réduisant le volume et la valeur de leurs exportations, et ce d'autant plus que le délai de livraison est long.

Contributed by Jose De Sousa, 22nd December 2023

Chercheur brillant et dynamique, économiste engagé dans le débat public en sa qualité de président délégué du Conseil d’analyse économique, et collègue dévoué au service de l’intérêt général, Philippe, merci pour tout ce que tu nous as apporté et donné.

I met Philippe thanks to the CEPR, while I was still a PhD student, at what was my very first workshop, and perhaps his too, in June 1994 in Marseille. Philippe had just returned from the United States and was joining HEI. Jacques Thisse, who introduced us, joked about how we would undoubtedly get along well due to our shared interest in economic geography, even if I would have to admit that a Sciences Po education can very well substitute for a purely quantitative background. Philippe naturally greeted this remark with his big smile, knowing well that the future would prove Jacques right, which was, of course, completely confirmed. Not only was Philippe an excellent technician, even moving to applied econometrics in some papers, but he also had an extremely broad spectrum of knowledge and profound depth of thought. My admiration has only grown since then, also for his ability to invest in institution-building and the transmission of knowledge to policymakers, in addition to his research. All of this was always done with a great deal of humility, and a great sense of humour and kindness.

I include two photos, taken during a workshop in Kyoto in July 2000, where we also visited temples together, and Philippe introduced me to the culture of this country. In the group photo are present several people who benefited from the extraordinary support of the CEPR's economic geography group, created and animated by Richard Baldwin, Jacques Thisse, and Tony Venables, and from the interactions they had with Philippe in this group (Philippe in the front, and then from right to left, Gilles Duranton, Tomoya Mori, Gianmarco Ottaviano, Diego Puga, Henry Overman, Duncan Black, and me).

Philippe's death is an immense loss.

Contributed by Pierre-Philippe Combes, 22nd December 2023.

I met Philippe as an undergraduate student - he was leading a section of a macro course I was taking. I knew right away that he was a fantastic person: he managed to make international macro make sense, which I thought was just not possible!

Philippe was a world-class researcher, a public good provider, an institution builder. He had an incredible talent for building bridges between economic research and policy-making. His leadership at Sciences Po and CAE radically transformed these institutions: Sciences Po became one of the best departments in the world; by his sheer will, Philippe managed to make CAE the main contributor to the economic policy debate in France. 

But beyond all that, Philippe was a generous and kind person with a genuine interest in others. His loss is a tragedy, and I will sorely miss him. 

Contributed by David Sraer, 23 December 2023

Dear Philippe, it has been an absolute pleasure and honor to have met
you and interacted with you. I will always remember the Economic Policy
conferences we attended together, and the great conversations and
discussions we had on international macro. You'll be greatly missed by
all of us but your legacy of a brilliant economist and wonderful human
will live on.

Contributed by Fabrizio Perri, 24 December 2023.

We have lost Philippe Martin, a wonderful person, a brilliant academic, and an amazing friend. In the history books, Philippe will be remembered as a scholar with significant contributions to several fields of economics. He was also an important public intellectual, an impactful policy advisor, and an ingenious institution builder. All of this is because he deeply cared about people in general and his colleagues and friends in particular. He also cared for and worked to build a brighter future for France and Europe.

Philippe was the first person to suggest that we could move to Paris, which changed our lives forever, and certainly for the better. We remain forever grateful. Although we never co-authored research papers with Philippe, we worked together on many academic boards and committees. Philippe was always gentle and collegial but sharp and firm.

We witnessed Philippe’s amazing work as the founder of Sciences Po’s Department of Economics. Running a department of economics is hard, and creating a department from scratch is even harder. Philippe was a great leader because he had a clear vision, always remained entrepreneurial, pragmatic, and rational, and at the same time, had empathy towards his colleagues. Many economists have one or two of these qualities, but the combination of the three is extremely rare. The fact that the Department continues to excel and grow ten years after the end of Philippe’s tenure as the first department chair is the best proof of Philippe’s success as an institution builder and as a person.

We love Philippe and will miss him.

Contributed by Sergei Guriev and Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 24 December 2023.

Philippe was a man with an open mind, an incredible intellect and a gentle soul. In my interactions with him I also saw he was a very effective leader, one who led from a place of humility and generosity. That is how he was able to develop and strengthen institutions that will likely outlast all of us. I, with many others, witnessed his impact firsthand in two of his capacities: as a key actor in transforming  the Sciences Po economics department and making it into what it is today. And as the head of the CAE in the past few years: steering a variety of policy-relevant projects and always enriching connection between research and the policy world.  France is better today because of those things. It is terribly sad to have lost him so early, and it is a huge loss on so many levels. But his legacy and his gentleness will remain with us.

Contributed by Maria Guadalupe, 25 December 2023.

Philippe Martin has passed away. I first met him at Georgetown University, where he completed his Ph.D. Over the years, our friendship grew as he frequently traveled to Tel Aviv. Witnessing his evolution as a researcher, collaborating with prominent international economists and producing brilliant work, was truly inspiring.

Philippe was not only a talented researcher but also a friendly, sociable, and charming person. This year, we lost two great French economists, Daniel Cohen and Philippe Martin, both gone too soon. As we express in Hebrew: תהי נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים ("May his soul be bound up in the bundle of life").

Contributed by Assaf Razin, 25 December 2023. 

"Mais d'autres ont disparu d'un seul coup, sans prévenir
On leur a pas dit au revoir, ils sont partis sans notre accord
Car la mort a ses raisons que notre raison ignore"
- Grand Corps Malade - Nos absents

Philippe's sudden departure leaves a big void. I always remember fondly the year he spent at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he brought his mix of impressive scolarship and innovative policy research and kindness and good spirit. He left a major mark on the profession and the contribution to policy design and conduct, while keeping his humility and approachability. Interacting with him was always very pleasant and instructive.

Reste en paix Philippe.

Contributed by Cedric Tille, 26 December 2023.

Philippe was a great friend and an economist. His nature was one of those that puts you at ease in discussing all sorts of complicated economic and political issues with him. He was incredibly nice and polite towards everyone even when he was in heated debates. He was also always constructive, never critical and judgmental.

He was instrumental in building/developing/enlarging not only CEPR as a formal institution but also the informal European network of economist and connections with the US-based economists.

I had not had the chance to work with Philippe on a paper as co-authors, but recently we had been working closely on issues related to Economic Policy. Philippe’s determination in bringing state of the art academic work to shine light on economic policy issues of Europe was something we shared and believed in deeply.  I will keep working on these issues so that I can contribute to honoring his memory. He had so much left to contribute this world, he will be missed tremendously.

Contributed by Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan, 26 December 2023.

I really got to know Philippe well in the spring of 2007, when my wife Jean and I visited Paris School of Economics for the spring semester. Philippe volunteered to scout out the rental units that we were considering and ultimately helped us to arrange for one quite near to where he was himself living, in the Montorgueil area. We had multiple opportunities to see him that semester, which we enjoyed for all sorts of reasons, but especially for the insights he gave us into French politics.

Our friendship continued and grew during several subsequent visits to Paris, which Philippe arranged at Sciences Po. He was always the gracious host, and it was always a pleasure to spend time with him. We talked about economics, politics, gastronomy, and a variety of other topics. Paris is a great city for so many reasons, but for us the opportunity to see Philippe was one of its charms. These visits won’t be the same without him. Thank you, Philippe, for your friendship and generosity. We will miss you!

Contributed by Gene Grossman, 26th December 2023.

The passing of Philippe Martin is a terrible shock.  I feel great sadness and present my deepest condolences to his loved ones. 

Philippe was a gentleman and a phenomenal economist. I had the tremendous chance of collaborating with Philippe on research projects on international finance about 15 years ago. Philippe had the remarkable ability of bringing together perspectives from relatively disparate fields (IO, trade, finance, macro etc.) to generate new and exciting insights. His economic intuition was stunning. In subsequent years, I met Philippe at many research workshops – I always cherished those moments.  In addition to his academic research, Philippe's many contributions to policy debates were a constant source of inspiration for me. Philippe's very rich work has epitomized the unique value added that skillful, lucid economic thinking can bring to society.

Thank you a thousand times, dear Philippe!

Contributed by Robert Kollmann, 26th December 2023.

C’est encore choqué et empreint d’une grande tristesse que j’écris ces quelques mots en mémoire de Philippe Martin.

J’ai rencontré Philippe la première fois en 2002 dans le bureau de Daniel Cohen alors que je n’étais qu’un jeune étudiant, et qu’il avait été nommé professeur à Paris 1. Daniel m’avait présenté Philippe comme un exemple à suivre : « Voyez, Antoine, ce que l’on peut faire en faisant de l’économie ! Philippe revient de la Fed de New York et est professeur à 30 ans à peine ! »

Je n’ai véritablement fait la connaissance de Philippe que 10 ans plus tard, au conseil d’analyse économique. J’y ai découvert un économiste de haut vol, mais souhaitant passionnément contribuer à de meilleures politiques publiques, en pesant les arguments théoriques et les évidences empiriques avec précaution. Il était un farouche défenseur de l’évaluation indépendante des politiques publiques et de la contribution que les universitaires peuvent ainsi faire au débat public. Il s’était engagé dans le débat politique, mais restait un esprit libre et indépendant, et échanger avec lui était toujours un plaisir.

Son sourire amusé, son humour et sa gentillesse en faisaient un homme extrêmement attachant. Sa brutale disparition n’en est que plus douloureuse. 

Contributed by Antoine Bozio, 26th December 2023.

I met Philippe when we were both co-editors of Economic Policy
from 2008 to 2012. As the tributes on this page show, Philippe's
untimely departure has left an indelible void in the realm of economic
scholarship.

Philippe brought not only academic brilliance but also warmth and
friendship to our editorial team. His passion for economics inspired
everyone around him. His insights and intellectual acumen were
invaluable, shaping the journal into a beacon of rigorous analysis and
informed discourse.

Beyond the confines of the editorial work, Philippe's friendly nature
made our discussions enjoyable, and his commitment to fostering a
collaborative and inclusive environment contributed to the success of
our collective editorial team. His legacy endures not only in his
scholarly contributions, but also in the hearts of all who had the
privilege of knowing him.

Contributed by Tullio Jappelli, 27th December 2023

Philippe contributed very often to the great spirit at the annual event of the international trade programme, ERWIT, both academically and socially.

Here in the middle of all of us at ERWIT in Bergen in 1999. I will miss his good comments and his dry sense of humour.

ERWIT in 1999 in Bergen, Norway.

Contributed by Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe, 27th December 2023.

I met Philippe early in the 2000s. At this stage, most of the marks of success for a young French economist were already ticked for him: he had published very influential papers, had had prestigious positions in Switzerland and in New York Fed, had come back to France to be ranked very prominently in the concours to become a full prof, gotten the cercle des économistes prize of the best young economist jointly with Thomas Piketty, etc.

Philippe could have settled in a successful career as a star researcher/prof in France, but he was not satisfied to follow the “easy route”. He kept wanting to be more useful than that, which meant being incredibly generous of his time and efforts to accept challenges:

• We shared the preparation and teaching of several lectures in Paris 1 and in Sciences Po. The easy route is of course to follow a textbook, not question it… and go back to research. Rather than that, Philippe always asked himself (and his colleagues) : “what can we say on this topic that is of obvious relevance in the policy debate but not currently in the curriculum?”, then “what does applied research tell us, in particular do we have facts and a relevant theory to make sense of those facts?”.
• His research ethics was this way too: Philippe was always more interested in discovering a new unchartered territory than to do derivations of his own or someone else’s work. He was also willing to learn new “tricks”. I remember vividly him saying for our first projects “I am a theorist but I like facts, so sometimes I run regressions in excel”. Seeing that the empiricists in the room were not fully convinced, he would continue: “I know… so can you guys show me how one does empirics more professionally?“. And a little later: “you’ll be proud of me, I generated a table in stata… and it is replicable”.
• Most important, Philippe wanted to influence policy in an informed way. Taking a job at CEPII early on was already a good sign. Much later, when Philippe accepted to lead the Conseil d’Analyse Economique, he told me his plan: get more funding from the prime minister’s administration to make sure each of the produced report would rely on original research, and not only on surveys of the relevant literature. This was more fun and useful (also he could hire many young talents that way), but also more dangerous and incredibly more challenging.
• When reaching out to a broader audience, through the cercle des économistes for instance, he again was taking his mission very seriously. The word “vulgarization” sounds quite awful, and sometimes it refers to something truly awful in the sense that subtle ideas get oversimplified under slogans and shortcuts. Getting rigorous reasoning to the general public through media appearances or events like the Aix meetings is nothing natural. It requires a lot of thinking and efforts to get the main ideas transmitted clearly without too much damage… while keeping it lively.

Choosing to follow this sort of routes in teaching, research; policy advice and media, often means disagreeing within and outside the crowd of the economics profession, sometimes with very influential people. In that, Philippe was somehow a magician: Asserting firmly that a solution that seems obvious is sometimes a very bad idea---without antagonizing everybody---is an art and Philippe excelled at that art. For him, what made it easy was that the argument was never about the person, but always about the ideas.

I would like to end with one thought about Philippe’s general personality:

Philippe was taking his job very seriously, and believed like all social scientists that we can (modestly) change real things for the better with our research. But unlike many economists he did that without taking himself too seriously.

That involved 3 qualities almost NEVER found jointly in an economist: 1) a good dose of self-doubt, 2) being able to change one’s mind, 3) and a capacity to realize that there are other things in life than research. Sometimes even during scientific events. I want to talk about Philippe and CEPR here. A long time before social networks, a group of young trade researchers used to go to CEPR trade conferences. There is no trace (but sweet souvenirs for many) of a legendary midnight bath in a Nordic fjord of a group of economists many of which would end up with prestigious positions, and for one become the vice-president of CEPR and member of the (very serious) board of Sciences Po. Life does not have to be serious all the time after all, and for sure Philippe knew that.

Contributed by Thierry Mayer, 28th December 2023.

Début décembre, nous déjeunions avec Philippe à Berlin lors d’une conférence organisée par le CPER et jamais je n’aurais pu imaginer que ce serait notre dernier échange. Comme d’habitude, la discussion reprenait là où nous l’avions laissée auparavant, sans détours superflus, sans cacher les désaccords  
(elle portait cette fois sur le rôle international de l'euro...). Philippe voulait examiner tous les éléments, faire le tour de la question et surtout éviter les fausses évidences du discours officiel. C’était à l’image de tous les riches échanges que j’ai eus avec lui depuis qu’il fut mon professeur en master. Lorsque nous avons écrit ensemble, avec également Xavier Ragot, une note sur la politique monétaire pour le Conseil d’analyse économique, j’avais retrouvé tout ce qui faisait la grandeur de sa manière de travailler, en chercheur soucieux de la responsabilité des économistes dans le débat public et de la diversité des points de vue. Je découvrais aussi la ténacité qui allait de pair avec sa patience, et sa capacité tout autant que son plaisir à défendre farouchement ses idées en tous lieux, entre nous, dans les médias comme aux ministères. L’honnêteté et la finesse qu’il insufflait dans le débat intellectuel nous manqueront terriblement, mais je sais que beaucoup voudront porter ce qu’il nous a transmis.

Contributed by Eric Monnet, 30th December 2023. 

Philippe was a pillar of the International Trade and Regional Economics Programme and its annual ERWIT conference. He embodied the values and attitudes of his generation of trade economists – being very serious about research and committed to pushing the frontiers of knowledge, while remembering that life is there to be enjoyed. For him ERWIT was not just about exchanging ideas, presenting papers and discussing the latest scientific methods.  ERWIT was also the place where he saw friends, stayed late into the night discussing economics and life over a glass of wine and had a good time. He believed economics had a purpose – everything the profession did was done to inform policy and ultimately make the economy function better.

I saw Philippe in Berlin only a few weeks ago. We were talking about the next ERWIT.  He will be greatly missed there.

Contributed by Beata Javorcik, 31st December 2023.

Philippe's death is a tremendous loss to the economics profession and to his many friends and colleagues. I have learned so much from Philippe's work, and I had so much more to learn from him. Philippe, you are greatly missed. 

Contributed by Linda Tesar, 2nd January 2024

J’ai rencontré Philippe il y a près de 30 ans dans un couloir de l’école des Ponts et Chaussée rue des Saints Pères, dans ce qui n’était pas encore Sciences Po mais abritait déjà des laboratoires d’économie (le CERAS et le CREST-LEI). Son oeil était pétillant et il manifestait un grand intérêt pour les autres : leurs recherches, leurs personnes, leurs projets. Son domaine de recherche principal état alors l’économie géographique et je me souviens de nombre de ses présentations sur ces sujets dans le cadre du séminaire commun LEI-CERAS. Nous avons été ensemble professeurs à Paris I, mais c’est au CAE que nous avons véritablement travaillé ensemble. Comme vice président du CAE, il s’est montré pertinent dans le choix des sujets, motivant pour les auteurs, bienveillant dans les discussions collectives sur les notes auxquelles ses remarques apportaient toujours beaucoup. Philippe était un modeste, plein d’idées, jamais arrogant ni cassant.
Mais Philippe n’était pas que cela pour moi. Il était aussi l’ami fin et attentionné, drôle, avec qui les déjeuners étaient toujours un mélange de discussions passionnantes sur les questions de politique économique et d’échanges personnels, toujours avec cette manière d’être qui n’appartenait qu’à lui, calme et attentive. Nous aimions tous deux la musique (les discussions sur les interprétations des cantates de Bach ou l'opéra…) et nous croisions parfois à des spectacles à Paris.
Tout cela est trop injuste, trop tôt, il nous manque.

Contributed by Anne Perrot, 7th January 2024

It is incredibly hard to believe that Philippe is no longer with us. He has left us far too early. Philippe was not only an outstanding scholar, intellectually brilliant, and always a thought or two ahead in our conversations. He also kept a deep curiosity for the work of others, an openness of spirit and a wonderful kindness. Philippe was a successful scholar, and influential policy advisor, a committed European, an institution builder -- and he did it all with a smile and a contagious gentleness. He will always remain an inspiration and his voice will be sorely missed in these critical times for Europe and the world.

Contributed by Moritz Schularick, 8th January 2024

I got to know Philippe well starting in 2001 when he came to the NY Fed for a long visit, arriving just prior to the September 11 events.  The constants of our friendship were engagements with so much deep comfort, admiration, and respect.  Mostly recently we spent time together at the CEPR event in Berlin, discussing research and policy and catching up. On Dec 2 2023 Philippe sent this photo to me with the message “Here we are!”.  I will truly miss him deeply, as a bright light, and a warm and vibrant man who was always intellectually engaged and thoughtful. Memories of Philippe will be a blessing.

Contributed by Linda Goldberg, 11th January 2024

Philippe Martin, le regard vif, l'esprit à la fois mordant et bienveillant, aura été une inspiration pour des générations d'économistes. Universitaire accompli, il était aussi engagé dans la cité, le débat public et le conseil aux gouvernants. C'est d'ailleurs plutôt à ce titre que je l'ai connu, puisque nos spécialités académiques n'étaient pas les mêmes : je l'ai plus vu dans des conférences grand public, à la radio ou à l'Elysée et Matignon que dans des séminaires de recherche.  Il avait l'art de parfaitement comprendre les contraintes d'économie politique et d'avoir toujours de nouvelles idées constructives, originales, argumentées, percutantes. Sur la réforme des retraites, avec Antoine Bozio et Camille Landais, nos discussions ont été précieuses et même si les paramètres finalement arbitrés n'étaient pas  ceux qu'ils préconisaient, ce sont eux les premiers qui ont soufflé l'idée d'amoindrir le décalage de l'âge légal par rapport à la promesse de campagne, en compensant par une augmentation (qui s'est avéré être finalement une accélération de la hausse déjà prévue) de la durée de cotisation : le fameux panachage.

Philippe, tu nous manques mais nous essayerons de suivre ton exemple!

Contributed by Alexandra Roulet on 18th January 2024

It has taken me some time to come to terms with Philippe’s sudden departure.

When we met in Geneva in 1993, we were both in our twenties. Though we were almost the same age, Philippe was my teacher of macroeconomics and political economy at the Graduate Institute. He had just started his academic career and did not have any publications in international journals yet. Of course, neither did I. His lectures were inspiring and Philippe was always open to discuss students’ ideas in class and outside. This is what started our research interactions, which in few years led to a stream of papers on economic geography and endogenous growth. (As a matter of fact, my first non-Italian publication was a paper with Philippe entitled “The geography of multi-speed Europe”.) These papers were written after I left Geneva, going through the good old ordeal of paper, pencil and faxes.

At that time at the Institute there were also other people working on similar topics, all in their twenties or thirties, in particular Richard Baldwin, Rikard Forslid and Frederic Robert-Nicoud. Cross-fertilization led to further papers and eventually to the book Economic geography and public policy, published by the five of us ten years after we had all met in Geneva.

Through the years Philippe went on to fully develop his talents as a great researcher, institution builder and policy maker. However, what I treasure the most are those early days when we could share our juvenile enthusiasm and he appeared to me as the quintessential young Parisian intellectual, brilliant, snobby and self-ironical at the same time.

Contributed by Gianmarco Ottaviano, 29th January 2024.

It is still hard to believe that Philippe is gone, he remains so alive in my memory. He was a lovely man — very sharp, very friendly, very elegant, very decent, always good company. He was also a terrific economist and an incredibly good citizen, who generated huge positive externalities wherever he worked. A central figure on the European academic and policy scene, he was well-known to so many people, from a great variety of backgrounds, who like me now mourn him. I find it hard to believe that I will never again have to field, over a good Parisian lunch, his questions, which were probing but always friendly, about sharp Irish tax practices of one sort or another. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

Contributed by Kevin O’Rourke on 14th February 2024