Thierry Desmarest
Thierry Desmarest | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 December 1945 |
| Died | 9 January 2024 (aged 78) |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Known for | CEO and honorary chairman of Total |
Thierry Desmarest (18 December 1945 – 9 January 2024) was a prominent French executive who served as the CEO and honorary chairman of Total from May 1995 until February 2007, after which Christophe de Margerie took over the leadership.
During his leadership in 1999, Desmarest orchestrated TotalFina's $12 billion takeover of the Belgian oil firm Petrofina, followed by the $44 billion merger with Elf Aquitaine. These strategic acquisitions propelled TotalFina to become the fourth largest oil corporation globally.
Desmarest brought extensive international expertise to his role, overseeing TotalFina’s exploration and production activities in countries such as Venezuela and Algeria, where he secured significant oil and gas reserves. Notably, in 1995 he finalized a historic agreement with Tehran, enabling TotalFina to become the first foreign oil company to conduct drilling operations in Iran since 1979. Among colleagues, he earned the nickname Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince).
His role as chairman of Total concluded on 18 December 2015 due to corporate age restrictions; however, he continued to serve as honorary chairman and board member until the shareholders’ assembly on 24 May 2016.
Desmarest passed away at the age of 78 on 9 January 2024, succumbing to complications related to Alzheimer's disease.