Cyril Bourlon de Rouvre facts for kids

Cyril Hubert Marie Bourlon de Rouvre is a French businessman and politician. He was born on December 19, 1945, in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. He is known for his work in business and for being involved in Formula 1 racing.

Cyril Bourlon de Rouvre: Early Life & Education

Cyril Bourlon de Rouvre is the son of Évrard Bourlon de Rouvre, who was an industrialist. An industrialist is someone who owns or manages large businesses, especially factories. Cyril inherited sugar refineries and land from his family. His great-grandfather, Charles Bourlon de Rouvre, was also a successful businessman.

Cyril went to several schools, including the Lycée Janson-de-Sailly. He studied electrical engineering at Jussieu. Later, he became an aerospace engineer after studying at the Institut polytechnique des sciences avancées. An aerospace engineer designs and builds aircraft and spacecraft.

He started his career at Électricité de France, a big electricity company. Then, he worked as a sales engineer for Elliot Automation. He also managed exports for Sucre Union, a sugar company. Later, he worked in the audiovisual industry, which deals with sound and video.

A Dynamic Business Leader

In 1979, Cyril inherited many businesses and properties after his father passed away. He became the CEO of several companies, including Financière Robur and Coficine. A CEO is the chief executive officer, the highest-ranking person in a company.

He updated the sugar factory he inherited, and his businesses grew. In 1981, he took control of Transair, an airline company. In 1987, he started working in the film industry. He bought a company called Cofragec, which owned a large collection of 650 films. These films included famous ones like La Grande Vadrouille.

Cyril also produced movies such as La Nuit bengali and La Peste. Besides films, he invested in real estate, like a hotel in Tahiti. He loved cars and racing, even participating in rallies like the Abidjan-Nice race.

Politics and Formula 1 Racing

In 1989, Cyril Bourlon de Rouvre began a career in politics in Haute-Marne, a region in France. His grandfather had also been a politician there. He was elected mayor of Chaumont. He also became a regional councillor for the Champagne-Ardenne region from 1992 to 1998.

Cyril was very passionate about Formula 1 racing. From 1989 to 1991, he owned the Formula 1 team AGS. Running a Formula 1 team is very expensive. He later sold AGS to Gabriele Rafanelli and Patrizio Cantu.

In 1992, Cyril de Rouvre bought another Formula 1 team called Ligier. Under his ownership, the Ligier team became more competitive. The 1993 season was successful for them. They finished 5th in the constructor's championship, which was their best result since 1986. However, Cyril de Rouvre's involvement with the team lasted only one season.