Laurence Parisot (born 31 August 1959 in Luxeuil-les-Bains, Haute-Saône) is a French businesswoman who served as head of the French MEDEF employers' union from 2005 until 2013. She also directs the IFOP poll institute. She became the 276th wealthiest French person after she inherited the Parisot group (first furnishing retail group in France).

Family

Her father and grandfather Jacques Parisot (who set up the business) led the Parisot group, an unquoted furnishing retail company. She is single and has no children.

Education

Parisot studied public law in Nancy University and then entered Sciences Po. In 1986, she was nominated director of the Louis Harris Institute poll.

Career

Since 1990, Parisot has been chief executive of the IFOP poll institute after she bought 75% of its capital. She has also been a member of BNP Paribas board since 1990.

Head of the MEDEF

In 2003, Parisot entered the MEDEF executive board. On 5 July 2005 she beat two other candidates in a vote to replace Ernest-Antoine Seillière. At the time, she was the youngest ever head of the business lobby and the first one to run a service company. During her time in office, Parisot declared that she intended to fight against unemployment and put “enterprise at the center of French society”. She added that she would work very hard to push French MPs to adopt more liberal labour legislation. On 6 November 2007, Parisot was among the guests invited to the state dinner hosted by U.S. President George W. Bush in honor of President Nicolas Sarkozy at the White House. In 2013, Parisot lost an internal battle to alter the group’s statutes and extend her eight-year term; instead, she was replaced with Pierre Gattaz.

Later career

In 2014, Parisot declared her interest in succeeding Henri Proglio as CEO of French state utility Électricité de France (EDF); instead, the position went to Jean-Bernard Lévy. In 2018, she was appointed by U.S. bank Citigroup as chairwoman and managing director of its French unit.

Other activities

Corporate boards

Non-profit organizations

Recognition

Parisot was awarded the Ordre national du Mérite.

Personal life

Parisot is single and lives in Paris.