Jean-Paul Agon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean-Paul Agon
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Agon in 2014
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| Born | 6 July 1956 Boulogne-Billancourt, France
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| Alma mater | HEC Paris (1978) |
| Occupation | Chairman of L'Oréal |
Jean-Paul Agon, born on July 6, 1956, is a French businessman. He is known for his long career at L'Oréal, a very famous international company that makes makeup and beauty products. He used to be the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of L'Oréal, which means he was in charge of running the company every day.
Because L'Oréal has a rule that CEOs must step down at age 65, Jean-Paul Agon was replaced by Nicolas Hieronimus on May 1, 2021. However, he still serves as the chairman of the company's board. He studied at HEC Paris and finished his studies in 1978.
Contents
Jean-Paul Agon's Career
Starting Out at L'Oréal
Jean-Paul Agon joined L'Oréal in 1978, right after he finished his studies. He spent his whole career working for the company in important sales and marketing jobs around the world.
When he was 24, he started as a product manager for consumer products in France. In 1981, he became the General Manager of L'Oréal Greece. There, he helped build a strong business foundation for the company. In 1985, he returned to France as the General Manager of L'Oréal Paris. He helped launch many successful products, like Studio Line, Plénitude, and Elsève.
In 1989, he became the International Managing Director for Biotherm. He helped make this brand more modern and popular around the world. By 1994, he was the managing director of L'Oréal Germany. He played a key role in solving problems in European markets, which were growing slowly at the time. In 1997, he was given the job of setting up and leading the L'Oréal Asia Zone. This was during a time of economic trouble in Asia. He created new company branches in many countries, invested more money, and hired talented local people.
Leading L'Oréal: 2001 to Today
In 2001, Jean-Paul Agon became the President of L'Oréal USA. He was very important in launching the popular Garnier Fructis line of products.
In 2006, Agon was chosen to be the CEO of L'Oréal. He later became the chairman of the company in February 2011. He believes in making beauty products available to everyone, all over the world. He started opening new L'Oréal factories outside of France, in places like Mexico, Egypt, and Indonesia.
Jean-Paul Agon also cares a lot about protecting the environment. He worked to reduce the company's carbon dioxide emissions, water use, and waste by 50% between 2005 and 2015. Because of his leadership, L'Oréal has been named one of the top 100 most sustainable companies in the world for four years in a row.
In 2011, Agon and other business leaders signed a petition. They asked for a special tax on wealthy people to help society during tough times. Agon said he believed that people with high salaries should help out when times are difficult.
Agon was the fifth CEO of the L'Oréal Group. During his time as CEO, L'Oréal bought several other companies. These included Essie Cosmetics, Maly's Midwest, and Marshall's Salon Services. In 2011, L'Oréal bought Bioscience Laboratories. Then, in 2012, they acquired Cadum, Urban Decay, and the Columbian Vogue Group.
Jean-Paul Agon's Vision for L'Oréal
While he was CEO, Jean-Paul Agon created a new way of thinking about global marketing. He called it "universalization," which means making beauty products for everyone. Another main goal was to grow the company in developing countries. He aimed to gain one billion new customers by 2020.
Besides his business goals for L'Oréal, Agon also had strong ideas about corporate social responsibility. This means how a company acts responsibly towards society and the environment. He often said that "the leader in beauty must be exemplary in terms of the environment." To achieve this, L'Oréal promised to cut their CO2 emissions, water use, and waste production in half within ten years.
Agon has stated that being socially responsible is just as important as making a profit. This was clear when the company announced its big sustainability plan in 2013.
Other Activities
Jean-Paul Agon is also involved with other important groups:
Company Boards
- Air Liquide: He is a member of their Board of Directors.
Non-profit Organizations
- Consumer Goods Forum (CFF): He is a member of their Board of Directors.
- European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT): He is a member of this group.
- Institut français des relations internationales (Ifri): He is a member of their Board of Directors.
Recognition and Awards
Jean-Paul Agon has received several awards for his work:
- 2005: He was chosen as "HEC Alumni of the Year."
- 2009: He received the "Pace Leadership in Ethics Award 2008" from the Ethics Resource Center in New York.
- 2011: He was given the International Human Relations Award by AJC in New York.
See also
In Spanish: Jean-Paul Agon para niños
