He worked at the banks Crédit national and Crédit Agricole. He has been CEO then Chairman of the supermarket group Carrefour. From 1993 to 1995 he was head of the French unemployment agency. He was Chairman of France Télécom from 1995 to 2002.
"Mobile growth to date has been spectacular, but I believe we have only seen the beginning."
"It is a unique opportunity for France Telecom to participate in the development of innovative and convergent services combining telephony, digital TV and the Internet with one of the largest alternative telecom companies in the UK."