Paris (AFP)
Orange Content director David Kessler died Monday at 60 in his Parisian home, his family announced by telephone to AFP.
The cause of death was not specified.
David Kessler was head of Orange Content since 2014, the "content" division of the telecom operator Orange, which notably includes the production subsidiary "Orange studio" and OCS.
Previously, from May 2012 to June 2014, this high-ranking official had occupied the post of cultural and communication adviser at the Elysée, with the socialist president François Hollande. A position he had already held in the cabinet of Lionel Jospin, then Prime Minister (1997-2001), before directing the National Cinema Center (CNC) from 2001 to 2004.
He had also worked alongside the former mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, as an advisor in charge of culture (2009-2011).
A Normalien, associate of philosophy and enarchist of the "Liberté Egalité Fraternité" promotion, he also headed the cultural magazine Les Inrockuptibles from 2011 to 2012.
He was also director of publication of the French version of the Huffington Post news site, director of France Culture (2005-2008) and director general of the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) from 1996 to 1997.
Knight of the National Order of Merit, he was born on February 24, 1959 in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine) and father of three children.
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