Jean-François Cordet

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Jean-François Cordet

| image = VILLETANEUSE Inauguration espaces publics PUU.JPG

| alt =

| caption = Cordet (right) in 2007

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1950|05|04}}

| birth_place = Hanoi, Tonkin, French Indochina

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2024|02|01|1950|05|04}}

| death_place =

| nationality = French

| other_names =

| occupation = Government official

| years_active =

| known_for =

| notable_works =

| education = École nationale d'administration
Sciences Po

| office = {{ill|List of prefects of Nord|fr|Liste des préfets du Nord|lt=Prefect of Nord}}

| term_start = 31 July 2014

| term_end = 26 February 2016

| predecessor = {{ill|Dominique Bur|fr}}

| successor = {{ill|Michel Lalande|fr}}

| office2 = {{ill|List of prefects of Somme|fr|Liste des préfets de la Somme|lt=Prefect of Somme}}

| term_start2 = 1 August 2012

| term_end2 = 31 July 2014

| predecessor2 = Michel Delpuech

| successor2 = {{ill|Nicole Klein|fr}}

| office3 = Director of OFPRA

| term_start3 = 9 July 2007

| term_end3 = 1 August 2012

| predecessor3 = {{ill|Jean-Loup Kuhn-Delforge|tr}}

| successor3 = {{ill|Pascal Brice|fr}}

| office4 = {{ill|List of prefects of Seine-Saint-Denis|fr|Liste des préfets de la Seine-Saint-Denis|lt=Prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis}}

| term_start4 = 20 November 2004

| term_end4 = 9 July 2007

| predecessor4 = {{ill|Michel Sappin|fr}}

| successor4 = {{ill|Claude Baland|fr}}

| office5 = {{ill|List of prefects of Meurthe-et-Moselle|fr|Liste des préfets de Meurthe-et-Moselle|lt=Prefect of Meurthe-et-Moselle}}

| term_start5 = 1 August 2000

| term_end5 = 20 November 2004

| predecessor5 = Jean-François Denis

| successor5 = Claude Baland

| office6 = {{ill|List of prefects of Aisne|fr|Liste des préfets de l'Aisne|lt=Prefect of Aisne}}

| term_start6 = 15 July 1998

| term_end6 = 1 August 2000

| predecessor6 = {{ill|Jean-Marc Rebière (government official)|lt=Jean-Marc Rebière|fr|Jean-Marc Rebière (haut-fonctionnaire)}}

| successor6 = {{ill|Didier Lallement|fr}}

| office7 = {{ill|List of prefects of Martinique|fr|Liste des préfets de la Martinique|lt=Prefect of Martinique}}

| term_start7 = 28 November 1994

| term_end7 = 15 July 1998

| predecessor7 = Michel Morin

| successor7 = Michel Morin

| office8 = {{ill|List of prefects of French Guiana|fr|Liste des préfets de la Guyane|lt=Prefect of French Guiana}}

| term_start8 = 11 May 1992

| term_end8 = 28 November 1994

| predecessor8 = Jean-François Di Chiara

| successor8 = Pierre Dartout

}}

Jean-François Cordet (4 May 1950 – 1 February 2024) was a French government official.{{cite news |last=Nicodème|first=Nicole|date=1 February 2024|title=Jean-François Cordet, ancien préfet des Hauts-de-France, est décédé|trans-title= |url=https://actu.fr/societe/jean-francois-cordet-ancien-prefet-des-hauts-de-france-est-decede_60647077.html|language=French|work=Actu.fr|location=Hauts-de-France|access-date=2 February 2024}}

Cordet served as prefect of multiple French departments and directed OFPRA from 2007 to 2012.

Biography

Born in Hanoi on 4 May 1950, Cordet's father was a military officer. He graduated from the Sciences Po and the École nationale d'administration and subsequently led the economic affairs and planning office for the overseas territories and New Caledonia. He was technical advisor for the cabinet of Henri Emmanuelli from 1981 to 1982 and deputy chief of staff for {{ill|Christian Nucci|fr}} from 1983 to 1984. He was deputy cabinet director for {{ill|Olivier Stirn|fr}} before his appointment as {{ill|List of prefects of French Guiana|fr|Liste des préfets de la Guyane|lt=Prefect of French Guiana}} in 1992, serving until 1994. Next, he was {{ill|List of prefects of Martinique|fr|Liste des préfets de la Martinique|lt=Prefect of Martinique}} from 1994 to 1998 and {{ill|List of prefects of Aisne|fr|Liste des préfets de l'Aisne|lt=Prefect of Aisne}} from 1998 to 2000. He then served as {{ill|List of prefects of Meurthe-et-Moselle|fr|Liste des préfets de Meurthe-et-Moselle|lt=Prefect of Meurthe-et-Moselle}} from 2000 to 2004 and {{ill|List of prefects of Seine-Saint-Denis|fr|Liste des préfets de la Seine-Saint-Denis|lt=Prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis}} from 2004 to 2007.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=6 August 2012|title=Jean-François Cordet de l'Aisne à la Région|trans-title= |url=http://www.aisnenouvelle.fr/article/region/jean-francois-cordet-de-laisne-a-la-region|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130701141619/http://www.aisnenouvelle.fr/article/region/jean-francois-cordet-de-laisne-a-la-region|archivedate=1 July 2013|language=French|work=L'Aisne nouvelle|location=Aisne|access-date=2 February 2024}}

Cordet was appointed Director of OFPRA in 2007, serving until 2012. After serving as {{ill|List of prefects of Somme|fr|Liste des préfets de la Somme|lt=Prefect of Somme}} from 2012 to 2014,{{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000026252322|title=Décret du 1er août 2012 portant nomination du préfet de la région Picardie, préfet de la Somme (hors classe) - M. Cordet (Jean-François)|date=3 August 2012|work=Légifrance|language=French}}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=19 August 2014|title=Jean-François Cordet, nouveau préfet de région, a des racines dans le Nord|trans-title= |url=https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/art/region/jean-francois-cordet-nouveau-prefet-de-region-a-des-ia0b0n2332743|language=French|work=La Voix du Nord|location= |access-date=2 February 2024}} he was {{ill|List of prefects of Nord|fr|Liste des préfets du Nord|lt=Prefect of Nord}} from 2014 to 2016.{{cite news|last=|first=|date=20 April 2016|title=Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie: le directeur de cabinet de Cazeneuve nommé préfet|trans-title=|url=http://www.liberation.fr/france/2016/04/20/nord-pas-de-calais-picardie-le-directeur-de-cabinet-de-cazeneuve-nomme-prefet_1447537|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422135205/http://www.liberation.fr/france/2016/04/20/nord-pas-de-calais-picardie-le-directeur-de-cabinet-de-cazeneuve-nomme-prefet_1447537|archivedate=22 April 2016|language=French|work=Libération|location=|access-date=2 February 2024}} That year, he joined the Cour des Comptes as a master advisor of extraordinary service. In March 2017, he was appointed president of the Observatoire national de la politique de la ville, succeeding Jean Daubigny.{{cite news|last=|first=|date=3 March 2017|title=Jean-François Cordet nouveau président de l'Observatoire national de la politique de la ville|trans-title=|url=http://www.ash.tm.fr/actualites/detail/98576/jean-francois-cordet-nouveau-president-de-l-observatoire-national-de-la-politique-de-la-ville.html|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307204631/http://www.ash.tm.fr/actualites/detail/98576/jean-francois-cordet-nouveau-president-de-l-observatoire-national-de-la-politique-de-la-ville.html|archivedate=7 March 2017|language=French|work=Actualités Sociales Hebdomadaires|location=|access-date=2 February 2024}} He also led an interministerial mission to French Guiana.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=24 March 2017|title=Une mission interministérielle se rend en Guyane, toujours paralysée par des blocages|trans-title= |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2017/03/24/la-guyane-toujours-paralysee-par-des-blocages-envoi-d-une-mission-interministerielle_5100572_3224.html|language=French|work=Le Monde|location= |access-date=2 February 2024}}

Cordet died on 1 February 2024, at the age of 73.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=1 February 2024|title=Le premier préfet des Hauts-de-France Jean-François Cordet est décédé|trans-title= |url=https://www.courrier-picard.fr/id489831/article/2024-02-01/le-premier-prefet-des-hauts-de-france-jean-francois-cordet-est-decede|language=French|work=Le Courrier picard|location= |access-date=2 February 2024}}

Decorations

Commander of the Legion of Honour (2015){{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000031741921|title=Décret du 31 décembre 2015 portant promotion|date=1 January 2016|work=Légifrance|language=French}}
Knight (1997){{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000567775|title=ORDRE DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR Décret du 11 juillet 1997 portant promotion et nomination|date=13 July 1997|work=Légifrance|language=French}}
Officer (2008){{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000018392898|title=Décret du 21 mars 2008 portant promotion et nomination|date=23 March 2008|work=Légifrance|language=French}}
Commander of the Ordre national du Mérite (2013){{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000027408485|title=Décret du 14 mai 2013 portant promotion et nomination|date=15 May 2013|work=Légifrance|language=French}}
Officer (2001){{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000589332|title=Décret du 14 mai 2001 portant promotion et nomination|date=15 May 2001|work=Légifrance|language=French}}
Officer of the Ordre des Palmes académiques
Knight of the Ordre du Mérite agricole
Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Gold {{ill|Medal of Youth, Sports and Community Involvement|fr|Médaille de la jeunesse, des sports et de l'engagement associatif}}
Gold {{ill|Médaille d'honneur de l'administration pénitentiaire|fr}}

Awards

Orwell Award (2013){{cite web|url=https://bigbrotherawards.eu.org/Jean-Francois-Cordet-ex-directeur|title=Jean-François Cordet, ex-directeur général de l'Office Français de Protection des Réfugiés et Apatrides (OFPRA)|work=Big Brother Awards France|language=French}}