Louis Schweitzer (businessman)

Louis Schweitzer
Born	(1942-07-08) July 8, 1942 Geneva, Switzerland
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, business executive
Years active	1970–present
Known for	Chairman and CEO of Groupe Renault (1992–2005), Chairman of AstraZeneca (until 2012)

Louis Schweitzer (born 8 July 1942) is a Swiss entrepreneur who served as the chairman of the board of Groupe Renault from 27 May 1992 until 2005, taking over from Raymond Lévy. During this timeframe, he also held the position of CEO. Schweitzer led AstraZeneca as chairman until June 2012, having joined its board as a director in March 2004. Additionally, he occupies non-executive director roles at BNP Paribas, Electricité de France, Veolia Environnement, Volvo AB, and L'Oréal. He is the Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Philips Electronics NV.

Early life and education

Louis Schweitzer is the son of Pierre-Paul Schweitzer, who was Managing Director of the IMF from 1963 to 1973. He is also a grandnephew of Albert Schweitzer and has familial ties to Jean-Paul Sartre.

He earned a law degree and graduated from two prestigious French institutions: the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) and the École nationale d'administration.

Public sector

In 1970, Schweitzer was appointed Inspector of Finance within the French Treasury. By 1981, he became Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, serving during Fabius’s tenure as Budget Minister, Minister for Industry and Research, and subsequently as Prime Minister.

Private sector

Schweitzer joined the ranks of Renault in 1986, advancing to Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategic Planning by 1988. He was promoted to Executive Vice President and COO in 1989, followed by President and COO in 1990. From May 1992 until April 2005, he held the dual roles of Chairman and CEO at Renault. Between 2001 and 2005, he also presided over the Renault-Nissan Alliance Board. On 29 April 2005, he transitioned to Chairman of Renault's Board of Directors.

He has been honored with the rank of Commander in both the French Légion d'honneur and the National Order of Merit. Schweitzer serves on multiple boards across French and international corporations. Since 6 March 2005, he has held the presidency of the Haute Autorité de Lutte Contre les Discriminations et Pour l'Égalité, an appointment made by the French President. In 2013, he was distinguished as one of the 250 Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour.

Other activities

• Vice-President on the Board of Directors at Institut français des relations internationales (Ifri)
• Board Member at Paris Europlace

Controversy

In 1995, Schweitzer faced investigation by the Justice Ministry concerning alleged involvement in distributing HIV-contaminated blood during his period as Chief of Staff to Laurent Fabius. These allegations were ultimately dismissed by the Court of Cassation in 2003.

In 2002, he was found guilty for authorizing phone surveillance on Jean-Edern Hallier as part of a special unit operating within the Elysée Palace, resulting in a fine; this conviction was upheld by the Court of Cassation in 2008.

Education

• Bachelor of Laws
• Institut d'études politiques de Paris (IEP Paris)
• École nationale d'administration

Personal life

Schweitzer identifies as a Protestant.

Key Renault milestones during Schweitzer's tenure (1992–2005)

• 27 May 1992 – Louis Schweitzer takes over leadership of Renault from Raymond Lévy
• December 1992 – Renault secures both the Formula One Constructors' and Drivers' titles
• 6 September 1993 – Renault and Volvo agree on a merger; Volvo withdraws on 2 December 1993
• 18 July 1994 – Law passed to privatize Renault; Régie Nationale des Usines Renault officially renamed Renault
• 13 September 1994 – French government permits external investment in Renault
• Late 1994 – Renault shares launched at FRF 180.90; company included in the CAC40 index
• 1 June 1995 – Decision made to establish manufacturing facility in Brazil
• 3 July 1996 – Renault completes privatization; government stake reduced from 52% to 46%
• 19 November 1996 – Renault Scénic awarded European Car of the Year for 1997
• December 1996 – Carlos Ghosn appointed Executive Vice President of Renault
• 27 February 1997 – Announcement of closure for Belgian Vilvoorde plant
• December 1997 – Williams Renault clinches sixth Formula One Constructors' Championship
• February 1998 – Introduction of New Distribution (Nouvelle Distribution) initiative
• 28 May 1998 – Official opening of Technocentre located in Guyancourt, France
• 2 July 1998 – Formation of OAO Avtoframos joint venture between Renault and Moscow authorities
• November 1998 – Commencement of development for an affordable €5,000 vehicle project
• 4 December 1998 – Opening ceremony for Ayrton Senna Plant in Curitiba, Brazil
• 27 March 1999 – Acquisition of a 36.8% stake in Japanese manufacturer Nissan; Carlos Ghosn appointed head of Nissan
• 2 July 1999 – Renault assumes control over Romanian automaker Dacia
• 18 October 1999 – Carlos Ghosn unveils Nissan Revival Plan
• 21 April 2000 – Purchase of South Korean automaker Samsung Motors
• 25 April 2000 – Divestiture of truck division to AB Volvo in exchange for a 20% shareholding, ensuring future stability for Renault Trucks
• 12 March 2001 – Creation of the global joint purchasing entity, Renault Nissan Purchasing Organisation
• 27 March 2001 – Laguna II achieves first-ever five-star rating in Euro NCAP safety tests
• 30 October 2001 – Increase of Nissan stake to 44.4% by Renault; Nissan acquires a 15% share in Renault; formation of Alliance Board
• 20 December 2001 – Launch of first joint manufacturing plant for light commercial vehicles in Curitiba, Brazil
• 28 June 2002 – Establishment of Renault Nissan Information Services, second joint venture under the Alliance umbrella
• 22 October 2002 – Start of production for the Trafic van at Nissan’s Barcelona facility, marking first joint European manufacturing project
• 19 November 2002 – Renault Mégane honored as Car of the Year for 2003
• 23 January 2003 – Introduction of Renault Production Way (SPR) to align industrial operations with global best standards
• 24 February 2003 – Claas acquires majority interest in Renault Agriculture, eventually obtaining full ownership
• Late February  2003 – Announcement of €230 million investment aimed at X90 vehicle production and marketing within Russia
• Late July  2003 – Renault takes control over Moroccan subsidiary SOMACA to produce X90 model
• Mid-March  2004 – Formation of Renault Pars to broaden market presence in Iran
• September  2004 – Launch of Dacia Logan, an economical vehicle priced around €5,000
• February  2005 – Announcement of record-breaking sales and financial performance
• 22 February  2005 – Partnership agreement signed with Mahindra & Mahindra for Logan production in India
• Early April  2005 – Official opening of Avtoframos factory in Moscow
• Late April  2005 – Carlos Ghosn replaces Louis Schweitzer as president of Renault