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DANONE
REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2015
Corporate Governance
6.2 Positions and responsibilities of the Directors and Nominees to the Board of Directors
242
BENOÎT POTIER
Born September 3, 1957
Age: 58 years
French nationality
Business address:
75, quai d'Orsay – 75007 Paris – France
Number of DANONE shares held as of December 31, 2015:
8,481
Independent Director
Attendance rate at Board of Directors' meetings as of
December 31, 2015:
100%
Principal responsibility:
Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Air Liquide SA
Personal background – experience and expertise:
A graduate of the ÉcoleCentrale de Paris, Benoît POTIER
joined the Air Liquide group in 1981 as a Research
and Development engineer. He then held positions as
Project Manager in the Engineering and Construction
Department and Head of Energy Development within
the Large Industry segment. In 1993 he was named
Head of Strategy-Organization and in 1994 he was
appointed Head of Chemicals, Steel, Refining and
EnergyMarkets. He became Deputy General Manager in
1995, and added to the aforementioned responsibilities
that of Head of Construction Engineering and Large
Industry for Europe.
Benoît POTIER was appointed Chief Executive Officer
in 1997, Director of Air Liquide in 2000 and Chairman
of the Management Board in November 2001. In 2006,
he was named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Air Liquide SA.
In 2004, Air Liquide acquired the assets of Messer
Griesheim in Germany, the United Kingdom and the
United States.
In 2007, the group expanded its technology portfolio by
acquiring the Lurgi engineering company and in 2008
launched the Alma company project aimed at accel-
erating its growth. The group is continuing to diversify
internationally, notably through its growing presence
in developing economies: Asia, Russia, Central and
Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.
In 2008, Benoît POTIER initiated the creation of Fondation
Air Liquide and has served as its Chairman since
inception. Fondation Air Liquide supports research
projects in the environmental and healthcare fields
and contributes to local development by encouraging
micro-initiatives in those areas of the world where the
group is present.
SinceMay 2014, Benoît POTIER has also been Chairman
of the European Roundtable of Industrialists.
Positions and responsibilities as of December 31, 2015
(a)
Position
Company
Country
Director (term of office
from April 11, 2003
to the end of the
Shareholders' Meeting
to approve the 2017
financial statements)
Member of the Board of
Directors' Nomination
and Compensation
Committee (since April
26, 2012)
Member of the
Board of Directors'
Strategy Committee
(since February 19,
2015)
DANONE SA
(b)
France
Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer
AIR LIQUIDE SA
(b)
France
AIR LIQUIDE INTERNATIONAL
(SA) (c)
AIR LIQUIDE INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION (ALIC)
(c)
France
United States
Director
AMERICAN AIR LIQUIDE HOLDINGS INC
(c)
United States
Position
Associations/Foundations/Other
Country
Chairman
EUROPEAN ROUND TABLE
OF INDUSTRIALISTS (ERT)
Belgium
FONDATION D'ENTREPRISE AIR LIQUIDE
France
Vice-Chairman
ASSOCIATION NATIONALE DES SOCIÉTÉS
PAR ACTIONS (ANSA)
France
Director
CENTRALE SUPELEC
France
ASSOCIATION FRANÇAISE DES ENTREPRISES
PRIVÉES (AFEP)
France
ÉCOLE CENTRALE DE PARIS
France
Member of the French
Board
INSEAD
France
(a) Offices shown in italics are not governed by Article L. 225-21 of the French commercial code
concerning multiple directorships.
(b) Listed company.
(c) Companies in the Air Liquide group in which Benoît POTIER holds a corporate office.
Positions and responsibilities held during the past five years
Position
Company
Country
Member of the
Supervisory Board
Member of the Audit
Committee
MICHELIN
(a)
France
Position
Associations/Foundations/Other
Country
Director
CERCLE DE L'INDUSTRIE (Association)
France
LA FABRIQUE DE L'INDUSTRIE (Association)
France
(a) Listed company.