In the former Estrella Damm factory in Barcelona, Jean Castex paid tribute to Philippe Saman"for over 40 years of service to French companies and to economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries", in the presence of members of the consulate, numerous political and business figures and friends.

He recalled Philippe Saman's attachment to Marseille, the city where he was born and where he graduated from KEDGE Business School. After passing through New York, he arrived in Barcelona in 1979 to do his military service as a volunteer at the Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed director a year and a half later, and remained there until 2021. At that time, he was assisted by just 2 members of staff, and by 2021, when he left for a well-earned retirement, there were 12, for a total of 450 CCI member companies, out of a total of 1,000 in Barcelona.

Mr. Castex insisted on Mr. Saman's"trademark":"He has the gift of initiating synergies and bringing people together". Since 1986 (the year Spain joined the European Community),he has tirelessly criss-crossed France, working with the Chambers of Commerce to encourage French companies to set up in the Catalan capital. And it's no coincidence that he was also Director of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce from 1990 to 1992.

In 2015, he was awarded the Sant Jordi Cross, in recognition of his investment in trade between France and Catalonia, particularly between the Barcelona, Girona and Perpignan chambers. In 2000, he created the Prix des Pyrénées to reward a French or Spanish company that has contributed to the development of the French market. But Philippe Saman knows that without his collaborators, the whole affair would have been a little more complex, and as such he is keen to pay tribute to them.I was just the captain of the ship," he says, "and without a crew, you don't get far.

• The full article written by Pierre Boisbunon on francaisabarcelone.com
• Also a second article on equinoxmagazine.fr
• Philippe Saman on LinkedIn