"Women leaders, how they dared": Anne Lauvergeon, a woman of energy "Women leaders, how they dared": Anne Lauvergeon, a woman of energy

Home → Article → "Women leaders, how they dared": Anne Lauvergeon, a woman of energy "Women leaders, how they dared": Anne Lauvergeon, a woman of energy

Anne Lauvergeon confides it to us without whining: "I became CEO of Cogema when it was the most hated company in France.In 1999, COGEMA (General Company of Nuclear Materials, which later became AREVA NC) produced uranium.Its main activity is concentrated on the site of the Hague reprocessing plant.As Anne Lauvergeon takes the direction, the company has a deplorable image and is the subject of virulent attacks on the part of environmental movements.In March 1999, a complaint with constitution of civil party was filed against COGEMA for pollution, endangering the life of others, abandonment and deposit of waste.All Limousin mining sites are affected."Honestly, we would not have appointed a female CEO of a long-standing business, which would have made tires or bottles.»»In a few sentences, the tone is given.It reveals the strong character of this exceptional woman.Training engineer, Anne Lauvergeon has always been interested in the issue of energy.In his eyes, there was a gap between the image of nuclear power to the general public and the reality of what this technology could bring in the energy equation.The subject fascinated her, she wanted to end this misunderstanding.

Even if it means taking the lead of the most hated company in France, the world number one in civilian nuclear power.Anne Lauvergeon chaired Areva from 2001 to 2011.

It was always, against the tide, that this fighter traced his way.Go where the others do not go, do not dare, this is its trademark.Ten years after her departure from the nuclear giant, she became a kind of myth, one of the symbols of the boss woman.It was she who partially inspired Tonie Marshall number one film, which traces the progressive ascent of an ambitious to the supreme function.The only woman in an eminently male world, Anne Lauvergeon has played the anomaly she represented."Atomic Anne" - his nickname of the time - detonated.It liked it as much as he liked.Without ever playing the seductors, she won contracts that no man could have dropped under the same conditions.

« Femmes dirigeantes, Comment elles ont osé»»»» : Anne Lauvergeon, une femme d’énergie « Femmes dirigeantes, Comment elles ont osé»»»» : Anne Lauvergeon, une femme d’énergie

In parallel with her consulting and investment activities, Anne Lauvergeon has been, since 2014, chairman of the board of directors of Sigfox, a Toulouse nugget specializing in technologies allowing machines to dialogue with each other.

"When I arrived, when I pointed out to them that there were only men and that the team had to be feminized, they all laughed.Today we have really moved the lines.We have a mixed executive committee.It is a question of awareness, will and time.If you want to get things done, you have to give yourself a little time.»»»»

The place of women, according to her, has progressed more slowly in the economic world than in other fields. Les évolutions qu’on appelle « sociétales»»»» ont, elles, été extrêmement rapides.

"I take an example.When I was 15-20 years old, a young woman who had a child out of marriage, it was a very problematic subject not only for her, but also for her family.It was a form of shame.Mother's daughter, the expression was terrible.Today in France, children who are born out of marriage are more numerous than those who are born in the context of a wedding.This is a fundamental evolution, because it affects a foundation of social organization.In comparison, I am a little disappointed by the slowness of change in the economic world.»»

In the world of affairs, very little feminized, the lightning progression of Anne Lauvergeon has been an exception.However, she claims not to have had a career plan. « Je ne me suis jamais rêvée présidente en me regardant dans la glace le matin»», s’amuse-t-elle en reprenant l’expression attribuée à Nicolas Sarkozy.

"My first husband said:" The problem with Anne is that she lacks ambition." It's true.I never thought about 20, 30 or 35 years old.I have never seen myself a chef in the place of the chef, I have never done calculations.»»»»

Her Beloved was a phone lineman working on different faraway projects around the country, and could therefore fr… https: // t.Co/0i870leqmn
— The Mad Anarchist Sun Jan 03 12:02:12 +0000 2021

Anne Lauvergeon is rather those who like to meet the challenges.Ambition, she let others have it for her:

"People have trusted me and it's a great chance in my life.They were obviously men, since it was a world of men.They had a benevolent look at me.And this benevolence allowed me to progress, to have a little more insurance, to learn codes, to develop projects.»»»»

Anne Lauvergeon fait sans doute ici référence à François Mitterrand, dont elle a été à la fois secrétaire générale adjointe et « sherpa»»»».She maintained an almost filial relationship with the head of state, remaining one of her closest collaborators for almost five years.

Malgré ses relations au plus haut niveau, Anne Lauvergeon affirme qu’elle n’aurait jamais pu devenir la patronne d’une grande entreprise «normale»»»», qui n’aurait pas connu la crise.On this point, it is categorical.She was named at the head of the Cogema, because the latter was in very bad posture.

"When I took the head of Cogema, the company was hated and in full battle with environmental movements.We took a few years to get out of the crisis: we merged with Framatome, we developed until it becomes the market leaders.When the climate has appeased, I started to undergo a non-stop pounding on the theme: "Now it's serious, we are not going to leave a woman at the head of the company ..." I amoffered the position when it was unattractive.I did not take it for personal reasons of power.»»»»

Sans surprise, elle n’hésite pas une seule seconde à répondre par l’affirmative quand je lui demande si les places de dirigeant dans les groupes « sans histoires»»»» sont réservées aux hommes :

"Yes !I'm going to tell you a fairly funny anecdote.I meet for the first time Recep Tayyip Erdogˇan [Turkish President], when he decides to build nuclear power plants.I am at Areva at the time.I present the company to him and, in the end, he asks me: "Areva, is it a family business?"I have a moment of hesitation.And then I understand that, for him, a woman at the head of a company of this type can only be an heiress.He did not imagine that a woman could have been appointed to this post on her only personal merits.»»»»

In this nuclear world, she was a UFO.This originality, this discrepancy, it turned it to its advantage, it cultivated it until it makes it a trademark:

"Internationally, in very macho countries, it was rather used to be a woman.First, I really like trade and I always liked contact, I like customers, that's how.And the macho countries are so amazed to deal with a woman, young moreover, that it immediately makes you famous.Everyone wants to meet you.This is a hell of a advantage.The more the country is macho, the more true it is.»»»»