– CEO since 2007 –
De Margerie had been chief executive of Total, Europe’s third largest oil company after BP and Shell, since 2007.
He had worked for the company for 40 years, spending his entire career there, and was known affectionately as the “Big Moustache” because of his prominent facial hair which was his most striking physical feature.
A descendant of a family of diplomats and business leaders, he was the grandson of Pierre Taittinger, founder of Taittinger champagne and the luxury goods dynasty.
Married with three children and highly regarded within the oil industry, he was known for his good humour.
De Margerie had steered Total through tough times including defending the company against allegations of corruption during the UN “oil-for-food” programme in Iraq.
He admitted the allegations had taken their toll on the company. “Most people, when they speak of Total do not know what it is, but know it is not good,” he said in 2009.
Total said in September that work on constructing a new natural gas liquefaction plant in northwestern Siberia was continuing despite Western sanctions buffeting Russia over its role in the conflict in Ukraine.
Total is developing the plant with Novatek of Russia and Chinese oil group CNPC.
Total also announced in May it had signed a deal with Russia’s second biggest oil company Lukoil to explore and develop shale oil deposits in western Siberia. But De Margerie told the Financial Times last month that the project had been halted due to the EU and US sanctions.
About The Author
