France - EDF chairman

Veolia chief named as chairman of Electricité De France

Article published on the 2009-09-28 Latest update 2009-09-28 13:33 TU

Chairman of Veolia Environnement, Henri Proglio,will take over from Pierre Gadonneix as head of EDF.
(Photo: AFP)

Henri Proglio will be taking over from Pierre Gadonneix as chairman of Electricité De France (EDF), France’s energy giant, which is 85 per cent owned by the state.

Henri Proglio, 60, is the president of Veolia Environment and is close to the French president and various unions.

He succeeded in turning Veolia in the leading water treatment company in the world. His first mission will be to reduce EDF’s debt, which over the past five years has gone from 19.7 billion euros to 37 billion euros.

The new chairman will also have to gather investment aimed at distribution and the upkeep of nuclear power stations.

EDF operates 58 nuclear reactors in France and in Britain making it the world’s biggest network of atomic power plants.

Furthermore, Proglio will have to ensure that the building of EPR, a third generation reactor, continues according to plan.

EDF depends on this to up its international energy sales.

Proglio's nomination will be confirmed in November.