Loïk Le Floch-Prigent
Loïk Le Floch-Prigent | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943-09-21 Brest, France |
| Died | 2025-07-15 Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, corporate executive |
| Known for | CEO of Elf Aquitaine (1989–1993), President of SNCF (1995–1996) |
Loïk Gérard Henri Marie Joseph Le Floch-Prigent (21 September 1943 – 15 July 2025) was a prominent French engineer and corporate executive, recognized for his leadership as CEO of Elf Aquitaine from 1989 to 1993 and as president of SNCF between 1995 and 1996. His career at Elf concluded amidst the Elf affair, which resulted in legal action. He was also a significant participant in the networks associated with "Françafrique".
In 2012, following extradition from Ivory Coast, Le Floch-Prigent was charged in Togo with allegations of fraud involving an amount of $48 million, leading to judicial proceedings in Lomé.
Personal life and death
Le Floch-Prigent was born in Brest and was related as a nephew to a Catholic priest and author. He entered into marriage with Fatima Belaïd; the marriage ended in divorce.
His rise to executive positions in major state-owned enterprises was facilitated by his involvement within the Minister of Industry’s office and influential political ties. After holding top roles at Elf and SNCF, he was found guilty in connection with the Elf scandal. During the Dumas trial, he was sentenced in 2003 to 30 months of imprisonment and fined two million francs, serving his sentence at Fresnes prison.
From 2005 to 2010, he applied his expertise in mining while working for Pilatus Energy AG, conducting operations across numerous African countries such as Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Benin, Tanzania, and Egypt, as well as extending activities to Iraq, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Syria, Turkey, Canada, and the United States. Since 2008, accusations have been made against him regarding involvement in orchestrating fraudulent schemes linked to Pilatus Energy AG.
In 2021, there were media reports suggesting that he might have served as an economic advisor to Éric Zemmour during the preparations for the 2022 French presidential election.
Le Floch-Prigent passed away due to cancer at the age of 81 in Paris on 15 July 2025.