Édouard Michelin (born 1963)
Encyclopedia
Édouard Michelin was managing partner and co-chief executive of the Michelin
Group. He was the great-grandson of Édouard Michelin
(1859–1940), a co-founder of the company.
He was born in Clermont-Ferrand
; after first studying at Ecole Massillon in Clermont-Ferrand, he entered the Lycée Sainte-Geneviève, Versailles
.
An engineering
graduate of the École Centrale de Paris
, he joined the Michelin Group, which was then headed by his father, François Michelin, in 1985. He initially worked at the lower levels of the company, including a stint on an assembly line. In 1987–1988 he completed his military service on French nuclear submarines.
When he returned to the company in 1989 he was first appointed production manager at the Puy-en-Velay (France
) plant, then team manager at Montceau-les-Mines
. He was appointed CEO of Michelin North America, in charge of both industrial plant and truck UOT sales and distribution, under the leadership of Carlos Ghosn
, a future Renault
Nissan CEO.
In 1993, he joined François Michelin and René Zingraff in Clermont-Ferrand
as Managing Partner of Michelin. One of his first challenges was implementing a plan to lay off 7500 employees. Despite criticism, he emerged with his reputation intact, especially after he supported the French government's proposal for a 35-hour workweek
. He later launched a reorganization whereby Michelin plants would specialize rather than all producing a wide range of products. In 1998 he launched an initiative to encourage the development of environmentally-friendly vehicles. One of his successes was in his decision to re-involve the company in Formula One racing. The company returned to F1 competition in 2001 and was immediately competitive. Success culminated in back-to-back World Championship successes in 2005 and 2006 with the Renault team and Fernando Alonso. The company withdrew from F1 following these successes as F1 reverted to a single-tyre supplier rule. Among Edouard's business failures was a proposal in 2004 to market the Michelin brand without its most recognized mascot, the "Michelin Man" (Bibendum
). However stockholders voted against this idea.
He was appointed Michelin Group CEO at the Annual Shareholders Meeting on 11 June 1999, 110 years after the establishment of the company.
In 1992 he was married to his wife Cécile in a ceremony at Chartres Cathedral presided over by his elder brother, Father Etienne Michelin. He was the father of six children. Fond of theology, Gregorian chants, and mountain walks, he was a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
(WBCSD). In April 2005, he was elected to the Board of Directors
of Nokia Corporation
at the company's Annual General Meeting. In France, he was given two nicknames by his employees: "Dudu", because of his kindness, and "L'americain", due to his overseas experience .
Édouard Michelin died by drowning, while fishing in the Raz de Sein
, near the island of Sein
, off the coast of Finistère
in northwest France, on 26 May 2006. The skipper of the boat, Guillaume Normant, also died in the accident.
After Édouard Michelin's death, Michelin announced that co-managing partner Michel Rollier
would head up the company.
He is buried in the Orcines cemetery (Puy-de-Dôme
).
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
Group. He was the great-grandson of Édouard Michelin
Edouard Michelin
Édouard Michelin was a French industrialist. He was born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Édouard and his elder brother André served as co-directors of the Michelin company....
(1859–1940), a co-founder of the company.
He was born in Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
; after first studying at Ecole Massillon in Clermont-Ferrand, he entered the Lycée Sainte-Geneviève, Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
.
An engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
graduate of the École Centrale de Paris
École Centrale Paris
École Centrale Paris is a French university-level institution in the field of engineering. It is also known by its original name École centrale des arts et manufactures, or ECP. Founded in 1829, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious engineering schools in France and has the special status...
, he joined the Michelin Group, which was then headed by his father, François Michelin, in 1985. He initially worked at the lower levels of the company, including a stint on an assembly line. In 1987–1988 he completed his military service on French nuclear submarines.
When he returned to the company in 1989 he was first appointed production manager at the Puy-en-Velay (France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) plant, then team manager at Montceau-les-Mines
Montceau-les-Mines
Montceau-les-Mines is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is the second-largest commune of the metropolitan Communauté urbaine Creusot-Montceau, which lies southwest of the city of Dijon....
. He was appointed CEO of Michelin North America, in charge of both industrial plant and truck UOT sales and distribution, under the leadership of Carlos Ghosn
Carlos Ghosn
Carlos Ghosn, KBE , born 9 March 1954, is a Brazilian-Lebanese-French businessman who is currently the Chairman and CEO of Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan and holds the same positions at Paris-based Renault, which together produce more than one in 10 cars worldwide...
, a future Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
Nissan CEO.
In 1993, he joined François Michelin and René Zingraff in Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
as Managing Partner of Michelin. One of his first challenges was implementing a plan to lay off 7500 employees. Despite criticism, he emerged with his reputation intact, especially after he supported the French government's proposal for a 35-hour workweek
35-hour workweek
The 35-hour working week is a measure adopted first in France, in February 2000, under Prime Minister Lionel Jospin's Plural Left government; it was pushed by Minister of Labour Martine Aubry. The previous legal duration of the working week was 39 hours, which had been established by François...
. He later launched a reorganization whereby Michelin plants would specialize rather than all producing a wide range of products. In 1998 he launched an initiative to encourage the development of environmentally-friendly vehicles. One of his successes was in his decision to re-involve the company in Formula One racing. The company returned to F1 competition in 2001 and was immediately competitive. Success culminated in back-to-back World Championship successes in 2005 and 2006 with the Renault team and Fernando Alonso. The company withdrew from F1 following these successes as F1 reverted to a single-tyre supplier rule. Among Edouard's business failures was a proposal in 2004 to market the Michelin brand without its most recognized mascot, the "Michelin Man" (Bibendum
Bibendum
For the restaurant of the same name, see Michelin HouseBibendum, commonly referred to as the Michelin Man, is the symbol of the Michelin tyre company. Introduced at the Lyon Exhibition of 1894 where the Michelin brothers had a stand, Bibendum is one of the world's oldest trademarks...
). However stockholders voted against this idea.
He was appointed Michelin Group CEO at the Annual Shareholders Meeting on 11 June 1999, 110 years after the establishment of the company.
In 1992 he was married to his wife Cécile in a ceremony at Chartres Cathedral presided over by his elder brother, Father Etienne Michelin. He was the father of six children. Fond of theology, Gregorian chants, and mountain walks, he was a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development is a CEO-led, global association of some 200 international companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development....
(WBCSD). In April 2005, he was elected to the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Nokia Corporation
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
at the company's Annual General Meeting. In France, he was given two nicknames by his employees: "Dudu", because of his kindness, and "L'americain", due to his overseas experience .
Édouard Michelin died by drowning, while fishing in the Raz de Sein
Raz de Sein
The Raz de Sein is a stretch of water located between the Isle of Sein and the Pointe du Raz in Finistère in the Brittany region of France.This tidal water is an essential passage for vessels wishing to pass between the Atlantic and the English Channel, because further west at high tide the Isle of...
, near the island of Sein
Île de Sein
The Île de Sein is a French island in the Atlantic Ocean, off Finistère, 8 kilometres from the Pointe du Raz , from which it is separated by the Raz de Sein. Its Breton name is Enez Sun...
, off the coast of Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
in northwest France, on 26 May 2006. The skipper of the boat, Guillaume Normant, also died in the accident.
After Édouard Michelin's death, Michelin announced that co-managing partner Michel Rollier
Michel Rollier
Michel Rollier is a French industrialist in the automobile industry. On May 26, 2006, he succeeded Édouard Michelin , as chief executive officer of the Michelin tire company...
would head up the company.
He is buried in the Orcines cemetery (Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme is a department in the centre of France named after the famous dormant volcano, the Puy-de-Dôme.Inhabitants were called Puydedomois until December 2005...
).