Jean Peyrelevade

About Jean Peyrelevade

Jean Peyrelevade, born on October 24, 1939, is a graduate of the École Polytechnique (class of 58) and the Institute of Political Studies in Paris (1963). He holds a D.E.S. in Economic Sciences and is also a chief engineer of Civil Aviation.

He began his career as a senior official at the Ministry of Transport, in the Directorate of Civil Aeronautical Programs, where he remained from 1963 to 1973. He then took the helm of the Directorate of Foreign Trade at Crédit Lyonnais until 1981, the year he was appointed deputy director of the cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy. He was notably in charge of macroeconomic policy for two years.

From 1983, he was appointed to lead some of the largest financial institutions in France: President of Suez from 1983 to 1986, of Banque Stern from 1986 to 1988, and of UAP from 1988 to 1993. From 1993 to 2003, as President of Crédit Lyonnais, he managed the recovery, privatization, and merger with Crédit Agricole SA. Starting in 2004, he joined the private sector and became President and CEO of the investment bank Leonardo France in 2006.

A long-time professor of economics at the École Polytechnique (1970 – 1994), Jean Peyrelevade has written several works on the evolution of contemporary capitalism. Among his recent publications: Changer l’Etat (2001), Le Capitalisme Total (2005), Sarkozy: l’erreur historique (2008), France, état critique (2011).