Frits Philips, son of inventor Anton Philips, died last night at the age of 100. Frits, or as he was known by most people “Meneer Frits” (Mr. Frits) played a key role in the development of the Dutch Multinational Philips. Although he wasn’t known for his excellent management skills, he was a beloved and respected person in Holland espcially because of his social involvement. During WWII he didn’t leave Holland (the rest of the Philips management fled Holland) and managed to save many Jewish people from being deported to German work camps.
The German occupiers even threw him in jail for not cooperating enough. He recieved a medal from Israel after the war for this conribution. Frits Philips liked to talk to everyone: from porter to prime minister, to Queen. Although the company has lost some of its grandeur, Philips is one of the biggest electronic companies in the world and the largest in Europe, with sales in 2004 of Euro 30.3 billion and remains the pride of the Dutch high-tech industry.