Tribute to Cyr-Denis Nidier, a colleague, a friend

The Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe is in mourning and mourns one of its employees, Cyr-Denis Nidier, who was killed by COVID-19.

Director of Risks - Financing - Cost - Deadlines within the Company, he was a valued colleague, strong in his kindness and professionalism, and an exceptional friend, always cheerful and good-natured.

Cyr-Denis made a decisive contribution to the Canal Seine-Nord Europe project and to the Seine-Escaut programme. After a full and intense career within the French Navy, in particular for the submarine forces, Cyr-Denis joined Voies navigables de France in January 2009 as Head of the Management Unit within the European Liaison and 'Innovation to prepare the launch of the competitive dialogue for the Canal Seine-Nord Europe.

He coordinated European planning and funding for the Seine-Escaut link, and in particular piloted project budget monitoring and risk management. In this field, he built the entire device of the Canal Seine-Nord Europe project, based on his extensive experience in project management and his exceptional mathematical skills. From 2013, he contributed to the reconfiguration of the Seine-Nord Europe project, then to the prefiguration of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe.

When the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe was set up, he took responsibility for all financing and for controlling Risks – Costs – Deadlines as Director. In this capacity, he represented the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe within European bodies. He was a decisive architect of the financing and implementation agreement signed on November 22, 2019 in Nesle in the presence of the President of the Republic, an event at which he was present.

Cyr Denis was from the East of France, a land that shares the same history as the Hauts-de-France, Flemish and Walloon regions, lands marked by industry and wars. This story made him particularly attached to the European dimension of the project and its positive economic impact.

Cyr-Denis was a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor.

Xavier Bertrand, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe, Thierry Guimbaud, Managing Director of VNF expressed their pain as well as their support for his family and loved ones and the entire team.

Jérôme Dezobry, Chairman of the Management Board, of whom Cyr-Denis was one of the closest collaborators with whom he shared the important moments of the project since 2013, brought together all the teams on Monday April 6 morning for a moment of meditation and to send a message of support to his loved ones. Cyr-Denis will be missed by the team. His immense work will remain essential for the project.