Overview

• EPO and EU: People Behind the Faces
• Teaser: Thierry Breton and His Disquieting Past

Understanding Thierry Breton

• Part 1: In the Beginning...



• Part 2: “Mister Cash” Arrives at France Télécom



• Part 3: Toxic Management Goes on Trial in France



• Part 4: Moral Responsibility for “a Capitalism That Kills”?



• Part 5: Chirac's Entrepreneurial “Joker”



• Part 6: The “Cost-Killer” Tries to Tame the National Debt



• Part 7: “Rhodiagate” and the Vivendi Universal Affair



• Part 8: Insider-Trading Scandal at EADS



• Part 9: Noël Forgeard and His “Golden Parachute”



• Part 10: What Thierry Did Next...



• Part 11: Atos Healthcare - “The Ugly Face of Business”



• Part 12: Thierry and the $100 Billion Man



• You are here ☞ Part 13: Socialising With the Elite



• Part 14: More Influential Friends in High Places

Further parts pending review and research

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Thierry and Valerie at a gala organised by Friends of the Paris Opera (2005)

Summary: "Bernadette Chirac is not the only Presidential widow with whom Valerie has close connections."

You might be inclined to think that he would have little spare time in his day job as CEO of Atos but, outside of business hours, Thierry and his wife Valerie, seem to have an even more punishing schedule.

There’s a never-ending round of social events to be attended such as charity dinners, operas, gala performances and other glitterati "love-ins" where they can be seen rubbing shoulders with the great and good of the French elite.

From left to right: Thierry Breton, Bernard Arnault, Hélène Mercier and Valerie Breton.
In the background, Gautier Capuçon, cellist associated with the Louis Vuitton Foundation.

Many of these events are sponsored by the multinational conglomerate LVMH and Thierry and Valerie can often be spotted basking in the glow of France's Lord of Luxury, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, and his Canadian-born wife, Hélène Mercier.

"During a state visit to India in February 2006 Valerie accompanied France's First Lady, Bernadette Chirac, on her sight-seeing tours including a boat trip up the Ganges."Another prominent guest who features at these events on a regular basis is Bernadette Chirac, wife of the late Jacques Chirac. Valerie has been a trusted confidante of Bernadette since Thierry's time as Finance Minister from 2005 to 2007.

During a state visit to India in February 2006 Valerie accompanied France's First Lady, Bernadette Chirac, on her sight-seeing tours including a boat trip up the Ganges.

Carry on up the Ganges: Valerie Breton and Bernadette Chirac on a boat trip in February 2006

The contact forged between Valerie and Bernadette during Thierry's term in the Chirac government has lasted down the years and the pair regularly appear together in "high-society" photo-ops.

For example, in November 2010 they both attended the Dior Jewellry Boutique Party at Place Vendôme in Paris where they were photographed in the company of Gautier Capuçon, a cellist associated with the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and his wife.

Valerie Breton, Gautier Capuçon and wife, Hélène Mercier-Arnault and Bernadette Chirac.

Dior, or Christian Dior SE to give it its full title, is a French luxury goods company controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard Arnault, who also heads LVMH, the world's largest luxury products group.

As we shall see in the next part, Bernadette Chirac is not the only Presidential widow with whom Valerie has close connections. ⬆