Robert Peugeot
Robert Peugeot | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 25, 1950 Belfort, France |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Chairman |
| Known for | Chairman of Peugeot Invest, major shareholder in Stellantis |
Robert Peugeot, born on 25 April 1950 in Belfort, France, is a prominent French entrepreneur serving as chairman of Peugeot Invest, a publicly traded investment firm that stands as a major shareholder in Stellantis and is predominantly owned by Établissements Peugeot Frères (the Peugeot family).
He is the descendant of Bertrand Peugeot, instrumental in founding the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group in 1976, and traces his lineage back to Robert I Peugeot, thus upholding a longstanding family tradition within the automotive sector.
Early life and family
Robert Peugeot pursued his studies at Lycée Cuvier in Montbéliard and Lycée Janson-de-Sailly in Paris. He earned his Diplôme d'Ingénieur from École Centrale Paris in 1971, followed by graduation from INSEAD in 1973.
Seeking hands-on experience in the industry, he began working at the Sochaux manufacturing facility in 1974, initially as a line worker and subsequently as a team leader.
Operational positions
Throughout his career within the automotive group, he occupied several operational roles:
- Led the planning department for Peugeot-Citroën in Johannesburg during 1975–76.
- Served as a design and development engineer at Peugeot between 1977 and 1978, concentrating on vehicle air conditioning systems.
- Worked as central bodywork methods engineer at Citroën from 1979 to 1981, where he promoted the automation of welding workshops through robotisation.
- Directed Citroën's mechanical engineering plant in Asnières (1981–82), successfully sustaining production amid significant industrial disputes.
- Managed the Peugeot-Talbot Motor Company in Coventry (UK) during 1983–84, overseeing the prosperous launch of the '205' model and investments into the '309', thereby securing operations at the Ryton facility.
- From 1985 until 1998, he held senior leadership roles at Citroën: head of plans and programmes (1985–88), director of organisation and IT systems (1988–93), and director of quality and organisation (1993–98).
Chairman of the family investment company
In February 2002, Robert Peugeot was named chairman and CEO of FFP, a publicly listed investment company and principal shareholder of Peugeot SA with a 22.1% stake. At that time, FFP’s primary holdings consisted of shares in PSA Peugeot Citroën.
Robert Peugeot highlighted FFP’s strategy to invest in enterprises where it could apply its expertise managing family-owned businesses, ensuring active participation by FFP representatives in governance and strategic development.
In 2007, he stepped down from PSA Peugeot Citroën’s executive committee to join its supervisory board, dedicating himself fully to managing FFP amid its notable expansion. By 31 December 2019, despite enduring financial downturns, FFP’s net asset value had surpassed €3.5 billion.
On 15 July 2015, the French publication Le Point disclosed that Robert Peugeot received an additional pension exceeding €450,000 from PSA.
On 19 May 2020, Robert Peugeot transitioned to chairman of FFP while Bertrand Finet assumed the CEO position. The following year, FFP rebranded itself as Peugeot Invest.
Other functions and corporate offices
- Member of PSA Peugeot Citroën’s executive committee (1998–2007)
- Member of PSA Peugeot Citroën’s supervisory board since 2007 and chairman of its strategic committee
- Board member at Forvia
- Board member at Safran
- Board member at Stellantis