Pierre-André de Chalendar

Pierre-André de Chalendar
Pierre-André de Chalendar
Born	12 4, 1958
Birthplace	Vichy, France
Nationality	French
Occupation	Business executive
Known for	Chairman and CEO of Saint-Gobain (2010–2021)
Education	École nationale d'administration
Children	4

Pierre-André de Chalendar (born 12 April 1958 in Vichy, France) is a French business executive who served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, one of France's oldest and largest industrial corporations, from June 2010 until 2021. A graduate of ESSEC Business School and the École nationale d'administration (ENA), de Chalendar spent the majority of his career at Saint-Gobain, rising through the ranks from an internal management position to the highest office in the company. During his tenure at the helm, he oversaw the transformation of the multinational building materials group, steering it through periods of economic uncertainty and pursuing a strategic vision centred on sustainability and urban development. Beyond his corporate leadership at Saint-Gobain, de Chalendar has held governance roles at other major French and European institutions, including serving as President of the Board of Overseers at ESSEC Business School and as a board member at Veolia Environnement. In 2025, he was appointed as an observer to the board of directors of FORVIA, the global automotive technology company. He is also an author, having published a book on urban challenges in 2021.

Early Life

Pierre-André de Chalendar was born on 12 April 1958 in Vichy, a commune in the Allier department of the Auvergne region in central France. Details about his family background and upbringing are not extensively documented in publicly available sources. He attended the Lycée Carnot in Paris for his secondary education before proceeding to higher studies at some of France's most prestigious institutions.

Education

De Chalendar pursued his higher education at two of France's elite grandes écoles. He studied at ESSEC Business School, one of France's top-ranked business schools, where he received training in business management and administration. He subsequently attended the École nationale d'administration (ENA), the French postgraduate school that has traditionally educated many of the country's top civil servants and business leaders. The combination of a business school education at ESSEC and the public administration training at ENA provided de Chalendar with a dual foundation in both commercial enterprise and government affairs, a path common among senior French corporate executives.

Career

Early Career at Saint-Gobain

Pierre-André de Chalendar joined the Saint-Gobain group, building a career within the multinational corporation that would span several decades. Saint-Gobain, originally founded in 1665 as a manufacturer of glass for the Palace of Versailles, had by the late twentieth century evolved into one of the world's largest producers of building materials, glass, and high-performance materials. De Chalendar rose through various management positions within the group, gaining experience across different divisions and geographies of the sprawling multinational enterprise.

His progression within Saint-Gobain's hierarchy reflected the company's practice of developing senior leaders internally. Over the years, de Chalendar accumulated operational and strategic expertise that positioned him for the group's most senior executive roles.

Chief Executive Officer (2007–2010)

In June 2007, de Chalendar was appointed Chief Executive Officer (Directeur Général) of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain. In this role, he assumed executive responsibility for the day-to-day management and strategic direction of the group while the chairmanship of the board remained a separate position. His appointment as CEO came at a time when the global construction and building materials industries were approaching a period of significant turbulence, with the onset of the global financial crisis of 2007–2008 and the subsequent economic downturn affecting construction markets worldwide.

During this period, de Chalendar was responsible for navigating the company through challenging economic conditions that affected demand in many of Saint-Gobain's core markets across Europe, North America, and emerging economies.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (2010–2021)

On 3 June 2010, the Board of Directors of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain appointed Pierre-André de Chalendar as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Président-Directeur Général), unifying the two top leadership roles under a single executive. The appointment was made at a board meeting held immediately following the company's Annual General Meeting.

As Chairman and CEO, de Chalendar presided over a period of strategic transformation at Saint-Gobain. The company, which had historically operated across a diverse range of industrial activities, moved increasingly toward a focus on sustainable construction and building materials. Under his leadership, Saint-Gobain positioned itself as a provider of solutions for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in the built environment.

Strategic Direction and Sustainability

During his tenure, de Chalendar emphasised the importance of sustainability and the role of the construction industry in addressing environmental challenges. In an October 2020 interview, he discussed the company's purpose and its commitments to sustainability, articulating a vision for Saint-Gobain's role in creating more sustainable habitats.

De Chalendar also took an active interest in the future of cities and urban planning. In 2021, he published a book titled The Urban Challenge: Reviving the Desire to Live in a City (French: Le Défi urbain), released by Odile Jacob Publishing. The book addressed how cities, once considered symbols of sophistication and possibility, had increasingly become associated with urban sprawl and other challenges, and it argued for new approaches to make urban living more attractive and sustainable.

Research and Innovation

De Chalendar maintained a focus on research and innovation as drivers of the company's competitiveness. In November 2020, he visited Saint-Gobain Research Paris alongside Benoit Bazin, who at the time served as Chief Operating Officer, to review the group's research activities and capabilities. The visit underscored the company's investment in its research infrastructure and the importance placed on technological development within the group's strategy.

Acquisition Strategy

Under de Chalendar's leadership, Saint-Gobain pursued an active acquisition strategy to strengthen its market positions and expand into new areas. However, not all acquisition efforts were successful. In 2018, a failed takeover attempt drew public scrutiny. In a June 2018 interview with the Financial Times, de Chalendar was described as defiant in the face of criticism following the unsuccessful bid, dismissing the criticism in characteristically forthright terms. The episode reflected both the challenges of executing large-scale mergers and acquisitions in the global industrial sector and de Chalendar's reputation for directness in public communication.

Departure from Saint-Gobain

In February 2021, Saint-Gobain announced that de Chalendar would step down from his role as CEO during the summer of 2021. The announcement indicated that Benoit Bazin, who had been serving as Chief Operating Officer, was expected to succeed him. The transition marked the end of de Chalendar's more than fourteen years as CEO and more than a decade as Chairman and CEO of one of France's largest industrial groups.

Post–Saint-Gobain Activities

ESSEC Business School

De Chalendar has maintained a significant involvement with his alma mater, ESSEC Business School. He was elected President of ESSEC's Board of Overseers, assuming a leadership role in the governance of the institution. The Board of Overseers plays an important role in the strategic direction and oversight of the business school.

Veolia Environnement

Following his departure from Saint-Gobain, de Chalendar took on a governance role at Veolia Environnement, the French multinational utility company. He served as a member of Veolia's Board of Directors. At Veolia's Combined Shareholders' General Meeting held on 24 April 2025 at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, de Chalendar's role was part of the broader governance discussions.

European Round Table for Industry

De Chalendar has been a member of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), an influential forum of European business leaders that engages with EU policy-makers on issues relating to European competitiveness and industrial policy.

FORVIA

In July 2025, FORVIA (formerly Faurecia), the global automotive technology company, announced the appointment of Pierre-André de Chalendar as an Observer (Censeur) to its Board of Directors, effective 1 September 2025. The appointment expanded de Chalendar's portfolio of corporate governance engagements in the post–Saint-Gobain phase of his career.

Personal Life

Pierre-André de Chalendar has four children. He has maintained a relatively private personal life, with limited publicly documented information about his family and personal affairs outside of his professional activities. He resides in France.

Publications

De Chalendar is the author of The Urban Challenge: Reviving the Desire to Live in a City (Le Défi urbain), published by Odile Jacob in 2021. The book explored the challenges facing modern cities and offered perspectives on how urban environments could be revitalised to become more liveable and attractive. Drawing on his experience in the building materials and construction industry, de Chalendar addressed questions of urban design, sustainability, and the social dimensions of city living.

Legacy

Pierre-André de Chalendar's tenure at the helm of Saint-Gobain spanned a significant period in the company's more than 350-year history. During his years as CEO and subsequently as Chairman and CEO, the company underwent a strategic evolution from a diversified industrial conglomerate toward a more focused building materials and sustainable construction group. His emphasis on sustainability and urban development reflected broader trends in the construction industry and positioned Saint-Gobain within the growing global discourse on environmental responsibility and green building.

His involvement in the European Round Table for Industry and his governance roles at major corporations such as Veolia Environnement and FORVIA have placed him among a cohort of senior French business figures who have contributed to European industrial and economic policy discussions. His election as President of the Board of Overseers at ESSEC Business School also reflects his ongoing engagement with French higher education and the development of future business leaders.

The publication of The Urban Challenge in 2021 extended his influence beyond the corporate sphere, contributing to public debate about the future of cities and the role of the construction industry in shaping more sustainable urban environments.