Christophe de Margerie
Christophe de Margerie | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 August 1951 Mareuil-sur-Lay-Dissais, France |
| Died | 20 October 2014 (aged 63) |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Known for | Chairman and CEO of Total S.A. |
Christophe de Margerie (, born 6 August 1951 – died 20 October 2014) was a prominent French executive who held the positions of chairman and chief executive officer at the French oil giant Total S.A..
Early life
Born on 6 August 1951 in Mareuil-sur-Lay-Dissais, France, de Margerie was the child of Pierre-Alain Rodocanachi and Colette Taittinger. Following his mother's remarriage, he was adopted by her second husband, Pierre-Alain Jacquin de Margerie. He completed his education at Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris and was the grandson of Pierre Taittinger, founder of the Jeunesses Patriotes. Additionally, he was half-brother to Victoire de Margerie, who serves as CEO of Rondol.
Career
After graduating from ESCP Europe in Paris, de Margerie began his career with Total Group in 1974, initially working within Finance and Exploration & Production departments. He rose to become president of Total Middle East in 1995 and joined the executive committee in 1999 as head of Exploration & Production. By January 2002, he was appointed president of the Exploration & Production division.
De Margerie became a board member on 12 May 2006, was named CEO on 14 February 2007, and assumed the role of chairman on 21 May 2010, maintaining both leadership positions until his passing in 2014. Under his guidance, Total expanded its footprint in regions including Iraqi Kurdistan, Myanmar, Qatar, and Russia.
He cultivated significant relationships with Russia and openly criticized Western sanctions tied to Ukraine, describing them as "useless" while advocating for ongoing commercial engagement with Russia. His strategic vision enabled Total to maintain advantages over rivals constrained by sanctions. Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged him as a “true friend” who established enduring Franco-Russian energy collaboration.
On 23 July 2011, de Margerie joined fellow French business figures in urging the government to raise corporate taxes.
In May 2013, Total agreed to pay $398.2 million to resolve allegations by U.S. authorities concerning $60 million in bribes paid between 1995 and 2004 to secure contracts in Iran. French prosecutors sought to charge de Margerie with corruption and misappropriation; however, later that year he was cleared by a Paris court in an Iraq oil-for-food bribery case spanning from 1996 to 2003.
Death
On 20 October 2014, de Margerie perished in a plane crash near Moscow alongside his three crew members—Yann Pican, Maxime Rassiat, and Ruslana Vervelle. The Dassault Falcon 50 collided with a snowplow during takeoff at Vnukovo International Airport.
He had been returning to Paris after a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev following talks about investments amid the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine and subsequent sanctions imposed on Russia. French investigators launched a manslaughter inquiry into the incident.
Legacy
Following his death, de Margerie was honored posthumously with the Russian Order of Honour.
In tribute, a Sovcomflot icebreaking LNG carrier (IMO number 9737187) was named after him in 2017. Constructed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, this vessel measures 299 meters long with a gross tonnage of 128,826 and supports operations for the Yamal LNG project.