I recently recieved a note from Essilor about one of optics' best known characters, Jacques Desallais:
Essilor’s Director of Marketing, Jacques Desallais will retire at the end of August after 35 years of service with Essilor. Myself and my colleagues who worked closely with Jacques would like to thank him for his help and support over the years.
We have had a few laughs, mostly with him, but sometimes about his antics! But through good times and bad Jacques has always promoted teamwork and it’s the fighting spirit that has helped us to achieve many goals.
Jacques has been a very popular figure within Essilor and over the years has made a tremendous amount of friends within the industry.
If you know Jacques, why not send him a message through the Optician Space website?
He is going back to college in September to study psychology and I’ll sure he will be looking for volunteers for his case studies if you fancy it!
Jacques is a true gentleman and will be truely missed! Only positive is that we wont have to generate special diameters for his specs any more - great snap Colin.
Sorry to hear Jacques is retiring. I've enjoyed our many meetings over the years and wish him luck with his studies. Lots of memories - his double act with Ronnie Corbett at Optrafair some years back - an Irish pub in Paris around Silmo time in the dim and distant past and a case of mistaken identity - and the various Essilor Symposia. Always good company. Bon chance Jacques
Wishing you all the best in your 'retirement', Jacques, and with your studies. Was this photo taken at the Essilor Symposium in Marrakesh? If so, I think the camel may have been cropped out.... Alison