He is known for having proved an extension of von Neumman's minimax theorem, as well as contributions in the fields of statistics and economics.
[2] His first name was that of his godfather and uncle, Jean Ville, the second, that of his grandfather, André Vernet.
André was the first name used in the family, but in his professional life, he used Jean.
Bernard d'Orgeval, a classmate, writes in the directory of former students of the ENS 1992 "very discreet about his private life, discretion marked by the use of the first name Jean in his scientific and administrative career, while in the family he was André".
[2] He was a former student of the lycée Thiers of Marseille and the École normale supérieure (Promo 1929), of which he entered first.