La Dépêche Group: Alain Baute distinguished, Merit to honor work and loyalty

De gauche à droite, Alain Baute, Jean Castex et Jean-Michel Baylet. DDM, Michel Viala

L’ancien Premier ministre Jean Castex a fait chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite Alain Baute, pilier du Groupe La Dépêche et directeur général adjoint de Midi Libre.

Word from the Prime Minister. Alain Baute, "he is first and foremost a huge hard worker, devoted body and soul to his work. The kind of guy who, despite his sincerely good-natured and friendly appearance, leaves nothing to chance, shows great rigor" and who < em>"never shied away" in the face of difficulties, recalls Jean Castex, in front of the family of the person to whom he gives, this Thursday evening, the blue star of a knight of the National Order of Merit in the great hall of La Dépêche.

Alain Baute's family is of course Monique, his mother, Françoise, his wife, Claire and Thomas, his children, as well as his three grandchildren… But for them as for him, journalist and director deputy general of Midi Libre, it’s also La Dépêche for "more than 40 years", welcomes Jean-Michel Baylet, its CEO, saluting him &quot ;an example of loyalty", "a commitment" and a "loyalty which has allowed us to do well working together.

Family tribute

In fact, Jean-Nicolas and Jean-Benoît Baylet, Eric Laffont-Baylet, Marie-France Marchand-Baylet but also Pierre Escorsac, Guy-Michel Empociello, Jean-Christophe Giesbert, Lionel Laparade, Olivier Biscaye , Pierre Mathis, signatures of the editorial staff of yesterday and today… "The great family of La Dépêche"  is also here to pay tribute to Alain Baute, "competent, serious journalist, attached to the titles [of the group] and to [his] profession", to reliable information", summarizes Jean-Michel Baylet.

The Alain Baute she knows, native of Castres, raised in Carcassonne, in love with Gruissan – youngest journalist in France at the beginning — sportsman who passed through Narbonne and Toulouse and whose skills quickly promoted him to chef "all-terrain" d’ Agen to Montauban via Auch before joining the Independent in Perpignan and Midi Libre in Montpellier, on the eastern pole of the Dépêche Group.

"His destiny in his hands"

But also the lesser known Alain Baute whom she finds through the warm words of Jean Castex, words of friendship from a Gersois who became mayor of Prades, from Gascony to Catalonia.

More than a journey, a life, then. The loss of his father at 15, rugby as captain, following in Stevenson's footsteps in the Cévennes, the national navy in the Irish Sea aboard the Belem: facets which also enlighten the young man "taking your destiny into your own hands" before becoming "institution within the institution" La Dépêche.< /p>

Historic title and "true multimedia group", to which Jean Castex also pays a tribute, through the portrait of& ;rsquo;Alain Baute. All in "shared humanist values", yesterday, today and tomorrow for "the journal of democracy [which] has great battles ahead of it", notably to defend quality information, its plurality and its freedom from networks, underlines Jean Castex.

"This mark of consideration from the Republic touches me deeply", recognized Alain Baute, visibly moved, in his thanks to all, but also claiming humility in the face of the challenges to come. "This encourages us to remember that Merit is not equal to success, [that] should not be experienced as an outcome but as a beacon to continue on the path it illuminates."