Pierre Ferri

After graduating with a law degree Pierre Ferri became a stockbroker before being called up to fight for France at the start of World War II. Ferri also fought at the end of the war, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 and made a Knight of the Legion of Honour. After the end of the war, he stood for election multiple times in Paris without success, before eventually being elected to as the municipal councillor of Paris in 1947. He was re-elected in the local municipal elections in Paris in 1953, but resigned soon after, before joining the cabinet of Prime Minister Joseph Laniel. From June 1953 to June 1954 Ferri served as the Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones.

Ferri also spent two non-consecutive spells as the President of the Fédération internationale d’escrime (International Fencing Federation); the first from 1957 to 1960, followed by a second stint from 1965 until 1980. In 1981 he was awarded with the Olympic Order in Silver. At the 1948 London Olympics Ferri had served as the Jury President in several team épée bouts, before officiating the final standings of all seven events at the 1952 Helsinki Games.