Thomas Ayad, the international product manager of Mercury Records, who has worked with the American heavy metal band - Metallica, was among the victims in Friday's gun and bomb attacks in Paris, when 129 individuals were killed.
Metallica said in a statement, "The band is very lucky that we collaborated with Universal Music France's international product manager Thomas Ayad for the past eight years and while Thomas Ayad had the official title of being the Metallica's 'project manager,' we knew Ayad as part of our Metallica family, a fan, a friend... and a warm, helpful, supportive familiar face each time we visited France."
The Metallica band also stated, "Last Friday, at the Bataclan theater, we lost Thomas Ayad, in a way that none of us can begin to understand. Our thoughts are with Thomas' friends, family, co-workers and all the people of Paris during these very hard times."
Some media outlets posted a photo of Metallica's lead singer and guitarist James Hetfield and Thomas Ayad that was taken on November 9, 2011 at the French TV show "Taratata."
Throughout the career of Thomas Ayad, the product manager had collaborated with dozens of musicians worldwide, including Justin Bieber (listed three times as one of the top ten most powerful celebrities in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2013 by Forbes magazine) and the guitarist, singer and songwriter of The Rolling Stones - Keith Richards, both of whom paid respect to Thomas Ayad in messages, remembering him and thanking him for the service he did.
The Canadian singer and songwriter Justin Bieber wrote, "Still thinking about Paris and my friend Thomas Ayad that we lost in the tragedy. Thomas Ayad was a member of the team for many years and I express a strong desire that I would've taken the time to thank Thomas Ayad personally."
Rolling Stones' Keith Richards uploaded on his social media account a photo of him and Thomas Ayad and on it expressed his "heartfelt condolences."
