In Memory of Mohamed El Idrissi
It is with profound sadness that Kinemetrics shares the passing of our valued colleague, Mohamed El Idrissi. Mohamed is survived by his wife Halima and his children.
The loss of a colleague within the earthquake community represents a significant emotional and professional impact. It’s not just the loss of a coworker, but the absence of a person who was a valued member of our community —a partner who successively worked on the challenges, successes, and everyday moments that define our personal and professional lives. Mohamed was more than a colleague to all of us; he was a great gentleman, too.
This absence removes a valued collaborator who contributed to shared challenges, achievements, and daily interactions that shape both professional and personal environments.
The news of Mohamed’s passing was almost surreal. It is hard to comprehend how someone so vibrant and integral to our daily lives could be gone so suddenly. The customer offices, which used to resonate with his laughter and contagious energy, now feel profoundly empty. The tasks we once tackled side by side now carry a bittersweet weight. Countless messages from our clients have flowed in, all expressing their disbelief and sadness over the news. Each one asked, “How is that possible?” This is a testament to how highly Mohamed was respected and loved by all of us. His absence is deeply felt.
Mohamed was not just the head of our Switzerland office and the Vice President of Kinemetrics; he was also a mentor, a leader, and, most importantly, a dear friend. Throughout his career with Kinemetrics, Mohamed consistently demonstrated the talents and dedication that made him an essential member of our earthquake research community. He did this all while embodying humility, deep kindness, thoughtfulness, and enthusiasm.
Mohamed first joined the Kinemetrics team in the 1990s. From the very beginning, it was evident that he possessed not only the necessary skills to make an impact but also had an infectious enthusiasm and dedication to our mission, accompanied by a great smile that will always resonate with all who knew Mohamed. Mohamed had a unique ability to make even the most stressful situations seem manageable, thanks to his calm demeanor and sharp problem-solving skills.
It is difficult to overstate the impact Mohamed had on those around him. He had a remarkable ability to transform a tense meeting into a productive discussion with a well-timed joke and was always quick to help. Mohamed approached both clients and team members with the same generous spirit, fostering mutual respect, trust, and a unified vision for success.
Through his business leadership, Mohamed has increased earthquake safety and resilience worldwide. Communities and entire regions benefit from the systems he helped establish to mitigate earthquake impacts and enable authorities to better protect citizens during emergencies. Mohamed’s accomplishments clearly demonstrate the importance of our mission and its direct effect on lives.
His absence leaves a void that resonates deeply within all of us. We mourn not just the life he lived but also the camaraderie and understanding he brought to our work life. At Kinemetrics, we honor Mohamed’s place in our lives. We strive to demonstrate the lessons he taught us about combining our daily work with caring humanity. Each challenge is met with the same thoughtful enthusiasm that Mohamed brought to each of us who were blessed to share even a small part of our lives with him.
While it is difficult to imagine our workplace without him, the influence Mohamed had on our team will always remain. In remembering Mohamed, let us embrace and cherish the connections we form at work and within our community, as these relationships shape us and provide support during times of grief. We are together in this, and we can all honor Mohamed’s memory by fostering a caring and compassionate environment in our personal and professional lives.
