In memoriam
In memory of Emilio Fontela
To those who knew him and
were unaware that he was ill, it
came as a shock to learn that
Emilio Fontela passed away on
27 July 2007 in Madrid.
Emilio Fontela was considered 'ageless', as his simplicity and kindness conferred upon him a certain 'youthfulness'. This persona was aided, no doubt, by an indefatigable inspiration and intellectual curiosity, as he was always ready to listen to others in an effort either to better understand or help them.
Even with great humility, Emilio Fontela could be considered a "Master" in at least three domains:
- Applied economics: where he excelled in the immediate
understanding of every economic concept and modelling; so much
so that he was able to utilise them to solve questions of economic
and social policies. True to the Lausanne school of thought, which
holds that economics should be approached through a social and
political context, his work was above all guided by the concept of
the social market economy. A university professor, notably in Madrid
and Geneva, he was also an uncommonly young director of applied
economics at the Battelle Institute in the 60s and 70s, in charge of
assisting the principal economic institutes of the OECD countries in
their efforts towards economic forecasting.
Recognised as an eminent specialist in Žinput/ output' analyses, working very closely with Leontief and Stone, Dr Fontela developed one of the most popular tools of its day, the EXPLOR model. This notoriety contributed to his becoming the initiator of energy economics modelling (which included EXPLOR) in the Commission's first Energy Research programme (shortly after the historic first oil crisis).
He was also, we must remember, the President of the European Applied Econometrics Association.
His abilities did not end with economics. An exemplary and renowned prospectivist, he contributed significantly to the emergence of this activity and lead the majority of the large, long-term international reflection initiatives, including the prospective exercises for those regions he cared about most. As a result, Dr Fontela developed lasting bonds with the research community within the prospective and social sciences communities.
He also significantly facilitated the integration of economics and prospective in scientific and technological research within the Framework Programme. Invited time and again to advise on the strategies and evaluations of projects under the Energy, Environment and Industrial Technology rubrics, he persuaded scientists and technicians alike of the relevance of these approaches not only to their research but also to research policy in general. - Economic outlook: As part of the Economic Outlook Network, he was
advisor to the highest level economic officials in numerous countries
and international organisations. He joined Commissioner Matutes'
cabinet as special advisor when Spain joined the Community. His
influence was also felt by directors of the OPEC countries at a
time when that organisation was in its infancy, as well as in Latin
American and Mediterranean countries when he served as an
external relations officer for the European Union.
It is well known that his unclouded understanding of economic mechanisms, his precise sense of quantitative feeling and his pedagogic abilities never failed him. His way of 'rolling up his sleeves' to lead teams of economists through simulations which were needed to establish, in record time, a necessary solution to a given decision impressed more than a few political directors and researchers. - A grand unifier of ideas: with an extraordinary sense of synthesis and knowledge to build a consensus, he was naturally invited to lead the most gruelling discussions or negotiations. Most of the time, he himself drafted the conclusions which were supported immediately and unanimously by the participants. The same was true for the preparation or analysis of studies technically complex in nature. His exceptional ability led to his being invited, yet again, to participate in the consideration of the Social Sciences and Humanities Programme in March 2007, a source of great motivation for him.
Emilio Fontela's contribution to European research has been very generous. He will leave an indelible mark on the spirit of everyone he knew, a permanent reminder of his immense individual, intellectual and professional qualities.
PV
24 August 2007