Groupe France marks its 15th anniversary

Groupe France welcomed Jon Hilton CEng FIMechE, President-Elect, to its Annual Dinner to celebrate 15 years of Institution representation in France.

Current Chairman, Eur Ing Daniel Fayolle MSc CEng FIET FIMechE ACIArb, said that most of the founders of the Groupe were able to attend the dinner, held in Paris.

He said: “We are delighted that Jon and his wife, Judy, were able to join us and recognise the progress and achievements of Groupe France.”

Co-founder of the Groupe Geoffrey Lamb MSc CEng FIMechE was honoured with the President’s Award for Meritorious Service for his outstanding contribution to the Institution and to engineering. He was presented with a certificate by Jon Hilton.

The idea to create a France-based Institution group was suggested in 1997 by then-President of the Institution, Pam Liversidge OBE DL FREng CEng HonFIMechE FCGI FRSA. Eur Ing Robert Gillespie of Blackhall OBE FIMechE, together with Lamb, worked for a number of years to set up a team which would lead the organisation of Institution activities in France.

Fayolle remembered how the Groupe was launched three years later: "On 8 April 2000, at Café de la Poste in 17^th Arrondisement, we met to discuss the raison d’être of an Institution branch in France. An advisory committee was approved by the Professional Development Committee at the Institution's London HQ on 2 December 2000. Our work started in 2001, and the first AGM was held in January 2002. Since then we have been running the Groupe continuously, clocking 15 years in December 2015.”

Fayolle added: “Our first-ever Chairman, Bryce Hunter, has now relocated to Canada. Bob Gillespie – who I consider the lynchpin of the Institution's Groupe France – became the second Chairman, followed by me, and then Geoff Lamb and Justin Kendall. Some of us have held the position twice.”

Fayolle says that he and his colleagues are proud of the 420-strong membership, who range from Student Affiliates to Fellows.

“Our great challenge is to encourage more young engineers to join Groupe France. The founders of the committee are all 15 years older now, and our aim has always been to develop this network for the benefit of engineers of the future. We would be delighted to involve more young people as the Groupe moves forward.”

The 15^th AGM, held on 27 February, is followed directly by Speak Out for Engineering 2016.

For more information, contact Groupe France.

Groupe France is also on our Europe Facebook page.