Laurence Parisot

Laurence Parisot
Laurence Parisot
Born	31 August 1959 Luxeuil-les-Bains, France
Nationality	French
Occupation	Businesswoman
Known for	Head of the MEDEF (2005-2013)
Predecessor	Ernest-Antoine Seillière
Successor	Pierre Gattaz

Laurence Parisot (born on 31 August 1959 in Luxeuil-les-Bains, Haute-Saône) was head of the French MEDEF employers' union between 5 July 2005 and 3 July 2013. She also directs the IFOP poll institute. She became the 276th wealthiest French person after she inherited the Parisot group (first furnishing retail group in France).

Family

Her father and grandfather Jacques Parisot (who set up the business) led the Parisot group, an unquoted furnishing retail company. She is single and has no children.

Education

She studied Law in Nancy University and then entered the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris.^[1] In 1986, she was nominated director of the Louis Harris Institute poll.^[1]

Career

Since 1990, she has been chief executive of the IFOP poll institute after she bought 75% of its capital. She has also been a member of BNP Paribas board since 1990.

Head of the MEDEF

Parisot with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev whilst the latter was in Paris on a state visit on 2 March 2010.

In 2003, she entered the MEDEF executive board.^[1]

On 5 July 2005 she replaced Ernest-Antoine Seillière as head of the organisation and held this position until 3 July 2013.

She declared that she intended to fight against unemployment and put the “enterprise at the center of French society”. She added that she would work very hard to push French MPs to adopt a more liberal labour legislation.

Awards

She was awarded the Ordre national du Mérite.

References

(FR) Translated from the French version

1. "Laurence Parisot: From Door-making to Director". Financial Times. January 27, 2006.