Jean-Bernard Lévy
Encyclopedia
Jean-Bernard Lévy is a French
businessman and the current chairman of Vivendi
.
, he attended the Lycée Pasteur
in Neuilly-sur-Seine
. After being advised by his teachers that he was so bright, he would need to advance a year, his parents sent him to England for a year to learn English, at St Martin's Preparatory School
in Northwood, Middlesex
. He then studied at the École Polytechnique
, and from 1973 the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecommunications
.
in 1979, as an engineer in Angers
. In 1982, he joined the Directorate General of Telecommunications within the PTT France
, responsible for the management of senior staff and budgets, then promoted to deputy chief of staff.
In 1986, he moved to French ministry of Post and Telecommunications under secretary of state Gérard Longuet
, acting as technical advisor and consultant for international affairs and industry. After a period at Matra Space
as director of communications satellites, after the return to power of the Socialist Party
, he returned to the French civil service under government under Longuet as his executive secretary, retaining the position in the Ministry of Industry, Posts and Telecommunications and Foreign Trade under Jose Rossi.
Appointed Group Director of Matra
-Hachette from 1994, he became president and CEO of Matra Communication from 1995 to 1998. He then became managing partner of Oddo et Cie until 2002, when merged to become Pinatton Corporate he chaired the senior management team.
Appointed CEO of Vivendi in 2002, he became chairman of the Executive Board in 2005. In this capacity, he has hence chaired the supervisory board of Viroxis since 2007, and Activision Blizzard
since 2009.
Lévy has served on the boards of NBC Universal
since 2004; da Vinci and the Pasteur Institute
since 2007; and Societe Generale
since 2009. He has chaired the board of the Institute Telecom since 23 September, 2009.
He was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
, and an Officier of the Ordre national du Mérite
.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
businessman and the current chairman of Vivendi
Vivendi
Vivendi SA is a French international media conglomerate with activities in music, television and film, publishing, telecommunications, the Internet, and video games. It is headquartered in Paris.- History :...
.
Early life
Born on March 18, 1955, the son of a doctorPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, he attended the Lycée Pasteur
Lycée Pasteur
The Lycée Pasteur is a French state-run secondary school in Neuilly-sur-Seine, on the outskirts of Paris. It accept students from collège through to classes préparatoires .Built in the grounds of the former chateau de Neuilly, the lycée is named in...
in Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
. After being advised by his teachers that he was so bright, he would need to advance a year, his parents sent him to England for a year to learn English, at St Martin's Preparatory School
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
in Northwood, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. He then studied at the École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
, and from 1973 the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecommunications
École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications
Télécom ParisTech is one of the most prestigious and selective grandes écoles in France and one of the finest institutions in the field of Telecommunications...
.
Career
Lévy started his career as an engineer at France TelecomFrance Télécom
France Telecom S.A. is the main telecommunications company in France, the third-largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It currently employs about 180,000 people and has 192.7 million customers worldwide . In 2010 the group had revenue of €45.5 billion...
in 1979, as an engineer in Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
. In 1982, he joined the Directorate General of Telecommunications within the PTT France
Postes, télégraphes et téléphones (France)
Postes, télégraphes et téléphones was the French public administration of postal services and telecommunications. Formed in 1921, it was split in 1991 into La Poste and France Télécom....
, responsible for the management of senior staff and budgets, then promoted to deputy chief of staff.
In 1986, he moved to French ministry of Post and Telecommunications under secretary of state Gérard Longuet
Gérard Longuet
Gérard Longuet is a French conservative politician. On 27 February 2011, he became the new French Defense Minister.-Biography:...
, acting as technical advisor and consultant for international affairs and industry. After a period at Matra Space
Matra Marconi Space
Matra Marconi Space was a Franco-British aerospace company.-History:Matra Marconi Space was established in 1990 as a joint venture between the space and telecommunication divisions of the Lagardère Group and the GEC group .The merged company was announced in December 1989 and was owned 51% by...
as director of communications satellites, after the return to power of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
, he returned to the French civil service under government under Longuet as his executive secretary, retaining the position in the Ministry of Industry, Posts and Telecommunications and Foreign Trade under Jose Rossi.
Appointed Group Director of Matra
Matra
Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family...
-Hachette from 1994, he became president and CEO of Matra Communication from 1995 to 1998. He then became managing partner of Oddo et Cie until 2002, when merged to become Pinatton Corporate he chaired the senior management team.
Appointed CEO of Vivendi in 2002, he became chairman of the Executive Board in 2005. In this capacity, he has hence chaired the supervisory board of Viroxis since 2007, and Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard, Inc., formerly Activision, Inc. is the American holding company for Activision and Blizzard Entertainment. The company is majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA and was created through the merger of Activision and Vivendi Games, announced on December 2, 2007, in a...
since 2009.
Lévy has served on the boards of NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
since 2004; da Vinci and the Pasteur Institute
Pasteur Institute
The Pasteur Institute is a French non-profit private foundation dedicated to the study of biology, micro-organisms, diseases, and vaccines. It is named after Louis Pasteur, who made some of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine at the time, including pasteurization and vaccines for anthrax...
since 2007; and Societe Generale
Société Générale
Société Générale S.A. is a large European Bank and a major Financial Services company that has a substantial global presence. Its registered office is on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, while its head office is in the Tours Société Générale in the business district of La...
since 2009. He has chaired the board of the Institute Telecom since 23 September, 2009.
He was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, and an Officier of the Ordre national du Mérite
Ordre National du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
.