Simon Cochrane

Button Eventures technical manager

By VARIETY STAFF

Cochrane

Simon Cochrane, Button Eventures technical manager who worked regularly as Variety's systems coordinator, died July 9 in Cannes, an apparent suicide. He was 35.

Cochrane worked with Button for more than 10 years, starting in London. However, he frequently made trips to Cannes for the company, coordinating audiovisual installations at the Mip TV and Mipcom shows.

He had worked for Variety as systems coordinator for every Cannes Film Festival since 1994, arranging computer setup and solving virtually every other technical problem for Variety staffers there, from lighting to microphones for the Variety Conference Series.

Born in Welwyn Garden City, England, he'd moved to Cannes about two years ago.

He is survived by four brothers and a sister.