Full Name: Jean-Claude Lasserre

Position: CEO, Saint-Gobain for sub-Saharan Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions that can be found everywhere in our living places and our daily life: in buildings, transport, infrastructure and many industrial applications

Date and Place of Birth: 1967, France

Education: Postgraduate degree in quantitative marketing, Grenoble University, France; MBA, ICN Business Graduate School, France; university courses, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China

First Job: Export manager

Career History Prior to Current Position: I have had the opportunity to work in seven countries – Cote d’Ivoire, Colombia, China, Poland, Italy, France and South Africa – across Asia, Europe, South America and Africa, gradually climbing the ranks to senior management. I have worked in Africa for nine years, four of which I spent in Cote d’Ivoire. Before my appointment as CEO for Saint-Gobain in sub- Saharan Africa, I was the VP for Saint-Gobain PAM, in Europe, and then for Abrasives in Europe, Middle East and Africa

Size of First Pay Packet: $27 000, in 1992

First Job with Present Group: Deputy Africa director, Pont-A-Mousson

Value of Assets under Your Control: In South Africa, Saint-Gobain has ten plants and two quarries; in the rest of Africa, it has an industrial presence in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana, and representative offices in Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire

Number of People under Your Leadership: 1 500

Management Style: Inclusive and open-minded; I fully believe in subsidiarity

Personal Best Achievement: Enjoy every moment of family time

Professional Best Achievement: I created and then led a team of 250 sales people in China in 2002 and gained 25% market share

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Christian Streiff, former Pont-A-Mousson and then Peugeot-Citroen president

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Bill and Melinda Gates

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Louis Gallois, former president of Airbus and Aerospatiale

Philosophy of Life: Adapt to others and enjoy what you do

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being chosen to lead Saint-Gobain in Africa

Biggest Ever Disappointment: The Colombian civil war (1899 to 1902)

Hope for the Future: A peaceful South African transition towards strong development

Favourite Reading: Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly

Favourite TV Programme: 24: Just in Time

Favourite Food/Drink: French dishes with a nice South African wine, such as Groot Constantia or De Toren Stellenbosch

Favourite Music: Jazz

Favourite Sport: Rugby and golf

Favourite Website: www.ted.com

Hobbies: Playing the piano, travelling

Car: Lexus NX

Pets: A 12-year-old cat called Zen

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who disregard the particularism and behaviour of others

Favourite Other South African Company: Nedbank

Favourite Foreign Company: LVMH (Louis Vuitton Möet Hennessy)

Married: To Nathalie, since 1992

Children: Malaurie, 21; David, 17; Elsa, 16

Clubs: Callaway X