Georges Besse
Encyclopedia
Georges BesseGeorges Besse (December 25, 1927 in Clermont-Ferrand
, France
— November 17, 1986 in Paris
) was a French businessman who led several large state-controlled French companies during his lifetime. He was assassinated
outside his home on November 17, 1986. At the time of his death he was the CEO of French car manufacturer Renault
.
AREVA
operates the Georges Besse II uranium enrichment plant.
-driven automobile. The car chief was shot in the head and chest and died where he fell on the pavement.
Leaflets by the militant Maoist organization Action Directe were sent three months later. The organization claimed responsibility for the murder, stating the murder was in retaliation for his reforms of the financially stricken automaker
Renault
which involved laying off a large number of workers. However, the Action Directe members denied any responsibility during their trial.
Two women, Nathalie Menigon and Joelle Aubron, were charged with his murder in March 1987 and were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1989. Two other Action Directe members, Jean-Marc Rouillan and Georges Cipriani, were convicted as accomplices and also sentenced to life imprisonment.
Besse's murder has also been linked, most notably by Dominique Lorentz
, to the negotiations concerning the Eurodif
nuclear company, in which Iran had a 10% share http://www.voltairenet.org/article13591.html.
Renault's car assembly plant in Douai
in northern France, was renamed in Besses's honour.
only two months before he was gunned down. He was criticized because his plan to make the bloated enterprise efficient included closing plants and laying off 21,000 workers. Labor unions opposed his actions in Europe, as well as his support for Renault's investments in the United States. The French company was a major stockholder in American Motors
(AMC), which was also experiencing financial problems. Renault invested additional resources in AMC for launching new Jeep
vehicles, upgrading to fuel injection
new 2.5 L
and 4.0 L AMC engines, as well as a new factory in Brampton, Ontario
. While some Renault executives and labor leaders perceived AMC as a bottomless pit, Besse championed the future in the North American market just as Jeep four wheel drive
s were riding an unprecedented surge in demand. Not only did Besse make Renault profitable, but AMC was also on course with growing markets and sales.
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
— November 17, 1986 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) was a French businessman who led several large state-controlled French companies during his lifetime. He was assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
outside his home on November 17, 1986. At the time of his death he was the CEO of French car manufacturer Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
.
AREVA
Areva
AREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...
operates the Georges Besse II uranium enrichment plant.
Assassination
Besse's killers rode up on a motorcycle as he emerged from his chauffeurChauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
-driven automobile. The car chief was shot in the head and chest and died where he fell on the pavement.
Leaflets by the militant Maoist organization Action Directe were sent three months later. The organization claimed responsibility for the murder, stating the murder was in retaliation for his reforms of the financially stricken automaker
Automaker
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
which involved laying off a large number of workers. However, the Action Directe members denied any responsibility during their trial.
Two women, Nathalie Menigon and Joelle Aubron, were charged with his murder in March 1987 and were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1989. Two other Action Directe members, Jean-Marc Rouillan and Georges Cipriani, were convicted as accomplices and also sentenced to life imprisonment.
Besse's murder has also been linked, most notably by Dominique Lorentz
Dominique Lorentz
Dominique Lorentz is a French investigative journalist who has written books on the stakes and reality of nuclear proliferation, as well as a film documentary, La République Atomique , which related terrorist acts in France in the 1980s to the nuclear program of Iran.Her work details various types...
, to the negotiations concerning the Eurodif
Eurodif
Eurodif, which means European Gaseous Diffusion Uranium Enrichment Consortium, is a subsidiary of the French company AREVA which operates a uranium enrichment plant established at the Tricastin Nuclear Power Center in Pierrelatte in Drôme...
nuclear company, in which Iran had a 10% share http://www.voltairenet.org/article13591.html.
Renault's car assembly plant in Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
in northern France, was renamed in Besses's honour.
Career timeline
- 1958 - General manager of USSI.
- 1964 - Becomes manager assistant general manager of CIT-AlcatelAlcatelAlcatel Mobile Phones is a brand of mobile handsets. It was established in 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent of France and TCL Communication of China....
. - 1974 - Becomes president of EurodifEurodifEurodif, which means European Gaseous Diffusion Uranium Enrichment Consortium, is a subsidiary of the French company AREVA which operates a uranium enrichment plant established at the Tricastin Nuclear Power Center in Pierrelatte in Drôme...
. - 1978 - Becomes chairman of COGEMA.
- 1982 - Becomes director of Pechiney-Ugine-Kulmann.
- 1985 - Becomes director of Renault.
At Renault
Besse became the head of the public-owned Renault automaker in January 1985. He was credited with taking the money-losing company to reporting a profitProfit (accounting)
In accounting, profit can be considered to be the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market whatever it is that is accounted as an enterprise in terms of the component costs of delivered goods and/or services and any operating or other expenses.-Definition:There are...
only two months before he was gunned down. He was criticized because his plan to make the bloated enterprise efficient included closing plants and laying off 21,000 workers. Labor unions opposed his actions in Europe, as well as his support for Renault's investments in the United States. The French company was a major stockholder in American Motors
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
(AMC), which was also experiencing financial problems. Renault invested additional resources in AMC for launching new Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
vehicles, upgrading to fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
new 2.5 L
AMC Straight-4 engine
The American Motors Corporation straight-4 engine was used by a number of AMC, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles from 1984-2002.*For an outline of all engines used by AMC see -Development:...
and 4.0 L AMC engines, as well as a new factory in Brampton, Ontario
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...
. While some Renault executives and labor leaders perceived AMC as a bottomless pit, Besse championed the future in the North American market just as Jeep four wheel drive
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
s were riding an unprecedented surge in demand. Not only did Besse make Renault profitable, but AMC was also on course with growing markets and sales.