The Holland Herald profiles Frits Philips

Estimated reading time: 2-4 minutes

September’s edition of The Holland Herald, KLM’s in-flight magazine, has an extensive profile of former Philips CEO and “iconic businessman”, Frits Philips. The history of Philips is inextricably linked to the life of a man universally recognized for his charisma, humor, and the positive influence he had on the growth and development of the company.

The article describes Frits Philips’ career, culminating in his leadership of the company as its fourth CEO and president. His tenure spanned the singular challenges of the WWII and its aftermath, and the subsequent rapid growth as the company became a global Consumer Electronics powerhouse. He was also known for his dedication to PSV Eindhoven, the football club founded by the company.

His goal of making people's lives better is still the core of the company

Bright ideas: The history of Dutch technology giant Philips

A new era

As the company is expanding its leadership in health technology, his legacy lives on in the culture and values of Philips today. Ronald de Jong, the company’s current Chief HR Officer, had the opportunity to speak with Frits Philips just a few months after he started working at the company. That conversation still serves de Jong as a compass: “the Philips family was very socially involved and he wanted their ideals to be passed on”.

After transforming the consumer electronics market for decades, the Dutch company is now doing the same in the medical world.

Bright ideas: The history of Dutch technology giant Philips

“Coupling innovation and entrepreneurship with social awareness and a strong sense of responsibility has always been a trademark of Philips – and it still is,” said de Jong. "We want to become one of the world’s leading health technology companies,” he continued, “and we are very optimistic about achieving our goal. We owe it to the Philips family. Their spirit, and the spirit of Frits in particular, is tangible up to the present day.”