Luc Vigneron

Biographical Information

"Luc Vigneron was born on 11 October 1954 in Senegal. He is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and received an engineering degree from the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées.

"He began his career in 1978 at the French Ministry of Infrastructure and Territorial Development as part of the harbour and shore authority for the ports of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais. In 1982, he became an advisor at the Budget Department of the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Budget.

"He was appointed, in 1984, special advisor at the Finance Department of Compagnie Générale d'Electricité (now Alcatel-Lucent). In 1986, he became head of operations at Alcatel Telspace, then director of Alcatel CIT's distribution product lines in 1988. After serving as director of strategy and new businesses at Alcatel RSD from 1990 to 1991, he was appointed Managing Director of Alcatel Radiotéléphone, then, in 1994, Executive Vice President of Alcatel Mobile Communication Group. The following year, he became director of strategy of Alcatel Alsthom.

"In 1998, Luc Vigneron was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Giat Industries and became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 2001, leading a far-reaching restructuring of the company, which changed its name to Nexter in 2006. Luc Vigneron was chairman of GICAT, the French association of land forces equipment providers, from 2002 to 2006, and chairman of CIDEF, the advisory council for French defence industries, from 2004 to 2006.

"He was appointed Chairman and CEO of Thales on 19 May 2009."