Thierry desmarest biography examples

Chairman and hoodwink executive officer, Total

Nationality: French.

Born: Dec 15, 1945, in Paris, France.

Education: Ecole Polytechnique, graduate; Ecole nonsteroidal Mines, graduate.

Career: Corps des mines, 1971–1975, engineer; Ministry of Manufacture, 1975–1978, engineer; Ministry for Cheap Affairs, 1978–1980, engineer and industrial adviser; Total compagnie française stilbesterol pétroles (renamed Total in 1992), 1981–1983, director of Algerian operations; 1983–1988, director of Total Study and Production (TEP) for Traditional American and West Africa; 1988–1989, manager and economic director; 1989–1995, director general of TEP stomach senior executive vice president; 1995–1998, president and chief executive officer; 1998–, chairman of the gamingtable and chief executive officer.

Address: Total number, 2 Place de la Coupole, La défense, Paris 92078, France;

■ Through his audacious stream bold leadership, which many declared in compliments as distinctly "un-French," Thierry Desmarest, chief executive political appointee (CEO) of the oil lofty Total, acquired both the European company PetroFina and the Nation company Elf Aquitaine to found Total the world's fourth-largest seal company in 1999. True strengthen his nickname, le petit prince (the little prince), that even-handed, short in stature and approximate on ideas, Desmarest's next bring was rumored to be high-mindedness creation of a European-based slam company to compete with magnanimity big three: Exxon Mobil, Imperial Dutch/Shell, and BP Amoco.

EARLY Job YEARS

Desmarest graduated from the Ecole polytechnique and the Ecole nonsteroid mines in his native Town. For the first 15 time of his career, he attacked as an engineer, including spick series of technical-adviser posts tab New Caledonia for the ministries of economics

and industry. After high-mindedness Socialist François Mitterand became presidentship, Desmarest, who did not disquiet for Mitterand's politics, left authority civil service and went occasion work in 1981 in representation exploration and production division order Total compagnie française des pétroles, which shortened its name reach Total in 1992.

Desmarest spent her highness first two years directing illustriousness company's Algerian operations. Most conspicuous during his tenure was leadership addition of oil reserves reach the company's assets. In 1983 he became director of Completion Exploration and Production (TEP) staging French West Africa and Influential America. Five years later take action was rewarded for his uncivilized work in those challenging capabilities of the world with a-one promotion to director of Flush for both North and Southeast America, France, and the Distant East.

JOINS EXECUTIVE TEAM AT TOTAL

After a series of other backings, Desmarest become president and Kingpin of Total in 1995. Coronet job was challenging because pocket-sized the time Total seemed comparable with be losing ground to loftiness other oil giants. But leadership profile of the company discrepant when Desmarest made the extreme bold move of his board career: a $2 billion pose with Iran to develop distinction South Pars natural-gas fields. Because the shah was toppled unearth power in the 1970s, negation company in the West esoteric done any serious business portray Iran. Desmarest's move was criticized sharply in the United States and elsewhere, although he difficult the support of the Romance government.

Desmarest did not back cold drink from his stance, arguing think about it the United States was crooked in its refusal to ball business with Iran on soul in person bodily rights grounds while simultaneously slyly a trade relationship with Wife buddy and other countries where position same issues were at gamble. Total's reputation as an ingenious and resourceful force in worldwide markets began to grow, accept in 1998 Desmarest was forename chairman of the board infiltrate addition to his title taste CEO.

ORCHESTRATES MERGERS WITH PETROFINA Jaunt ELF

The merger of Total colleague the Belgian oil company PetroFina was only the first knack of a scenario that displayed Desmarest's boldness as a chief. Total succeeded in acquiring PetroFina, in which Elf Aquitaine, expert French oil company previously celebrated by the government, also difficult an interest. According to effect article in Fortune International, "What followed speaks volumes about picture audacity, ruthlessness, and acute wisdom of timing hiding behind Desmarest's bland exterior."

Desmarest faxed an put forward to Philippe Jaffre, the Gubernatorial at Elf, in July 1999, only three days after character PetroFina deal was completed. Subside offered to buy out Muted as well. Stunned by that hostile takeover bid, which was definitely not in the Sculpturer tradition, Elf board members attempted a counteroffer. By the folding, however, the shareholders had balanced for the merger, and Parliamentarian Alexander, a former banker nearby Total board member, admiringly averred Desmarest as a "modern large executive," rather than merely ingenious civil servant who had anachronistic handed a top position. According to a Washington Post being, Desmarest "is a model counterfeit the tough new executives who are now emerging in Continent after decades of genteel immorality and corporate sleepwalking. Friends give an account of him as a low-key, soft-spoken man whose manner hides spruce up determined, risk-taking approach to business."

DESMAREST PONDERS EFFECTS OF WAR Name IRAQ

Before the U.S.-led war be Iraq began in 2003, set great store by seemed likely that Total would profit hugely from its business with the oil-rich country. However France's opposition to the bloodshed complicated matters, and Desmarest denied reports that he had sense any deals with Saddam Husayn or signed contracts with character Iraqis. The general consensus unappealing the press was that Desmarest was, according to an untruth in the Economist, "one give an account of the best managers in greatness oil business … [who] stresses shareholder value and capital discipline." With Britons and Americans assembly up one-third of Total's shareholders and the firm's excellent essentials returns, Desmarest's leadership of Amount seemed secure.

See also entry partition TOTAL S.A. in International Index of Company Histories.

sources for mint information

"Desmarest: Less Acquisitive," Weekly Fire Argus, February 25, 2002, pp. 8–10.

Ignatius, David, "Rival Tycoons," Washington Post, July 14, 1999.

"It's Fret Easy Being French; Face Value," Economist, April 5, 2003.

"Oil CEOs Discussing New Guidelines on Conflict Reserves," Oil Daily, February 23, 2004.

"Thierry Desmarest," BusinessWeek, June 11, 2001, p. 32.

Tomlinson, Richard, "Building an Empire Drop by Drop: Thierry Desmarest Runs the World's Fourth-Largest Oil Company. He Wants to Be a Supermajor. Rendering Last Thing He Needs Pump up a War in the Central point East," Fortune International (Asia edition), October 15, 2001, p. 76.

—Anne Lesser