René Ravaud
1920 – 1986 | SUPAERO 1946
A graduate of Polytechnique and Supaéro (1946), he was Chairman and CEO of Snecma (now Safran Aircraf Engines) from 1971 to 1982. His strategic vision and tenacity were behind the CFM56 and the alliance between GE and Safran, which has since become by far the world’s leading civil aircraft engine manufacturer.
Commander of the Legion of Honour, Croix de Guerre 39-45
Pierre Faurre
1942 – 2001
Graduate of Polytechnique and Mines, CEO of Sagem (now Safran Electronics & Defense) from 1972 to 20à1. A high-level mathematician, his work on Karman filters led to major technological breakthroughs in inertial navigation and automatic control. At the age of 43, he became the youngest ever Académicien des Sciences.
Officer of the Légion d’honneur.
Jean-Louis Gérondeau
1943 – 2009
A graduate of Polytechnique and Harvard Business School, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer (aged 31) of Zodiac (now part of Safran) in 1974, then Chairman of the Executive Board from 1980 to 2007. An exceptional entrepreneur, he transformed the family company into a world leader in several aeronautical businesses (seating, electrical distribution, etc.).
Officer of the Legion of Honour and recipient of the National Order of Merit.
Joseph Szydlowski
1896 – 1988
Emigrated from Poland to south-west France to escape Nazi persecution. A brilliant mechanic, he developed turbocompressors and, after the Second World War, invented the helicopter turbine. He founded Turbomeca (now Safran Helicopter Engines), which he ran until 1988, making it the world leader in helicopter engines. Officer of the Légion d’honneur.