He speaks Greek, owns a home in the Cyclades, and loves fishing. French businessman Jean-Paul Agon, chairman of L’Oréal, was awarded the Apollo prize by the Delphi Economic Forum, with the Acropolis as a backdrop.
In an interview with Kathimerini, the powerhouse of the French business scene spoke about his first steps in Greece in 1981, his career in the cosmetics products industry, and the company’s business activities in the country, while noting the restoration of French cosmetics and beauty firm’s confidence in Greece.
A noteworthy reference in your biography is that you began your career in Greece in 1981. If you could go back in time, how did your experience in Greece shape your later professional journey?
In fact, I did not start here. I started in France in 1978 when I was 21, but I had the opportunity to be promoted very early when I was 24 years old as a general manager of L’Oréal in Greece. It is a funny story because at that time, the Greek subsidiary of L’Oréal was very small, tiny, I would say, and not in very good shape. And in fact, nobody wanted to take the job, but I did not know that when I was offered the job. I said, “Wow, fantastic.”
Let’s delve deeper into the world of business and marketing. What key lessons did you take from the Greek market that you later applied on an international scale?
