{{short description|French heir and businessman (born 1970)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox person | image = | image_size = | name = Emmanuel Besnier | caption = | birth_name = Emmanuel Georges Philippe Besnier | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|9|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Laval, Mayenne, France | death_date = | death_place = | education = Lycée de l'Immaculée-Conception | alma_mater = ISG Business School | occupation = CEO, Lactalis | spouse = Sandrine Hunaut | parents = Michel Besnier<br/>Christiane Hallais | children = 3 | relatives = André Besnier <small>(grandfather)</small><br/>Jean-Michel Besnier <small>(brother)</small><br/>Marie Besnier Beauvalot <small>(sister)</small> | website = }}
'''Emmanuel Georges Philippe Besnier''' ({{IPA|fr|emanɥɛl bɛnje}}; born 18 September 1970) is a French heir and billionaire businessman. He is the chief executive officer (CEO) and controlling shareholder of Lactalis. As of February 2025, ''Forbes'' estimated his net worth at US$24.2 billion.<ref name="Forbes profile">{{cite web|title=Forbes profile: Emmanuel Besnier |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/emmanuel-besnier/ |work=Forbes |access-date=8 February 2025}}</ref>
==Early life== Emmanuel Besnier was born on 18 September 1970 in Laval, Mayenne, France.<ref name=LSA>{{cite web|title=Emmanuel Besnier|url=http://www.lsa-conso.fr/carnet-des-decideurs/besnier-emmanuel,121625|website=LSA|accessdate=1 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="lepointmarie">Marie Bordet, [http://www.lepoint.fr/economie/besnier-le-milliardaire-invisible-19-05-2011-1335279_28.php Besnier, le milliardaire invisible], ''Le Point'', May 19, 2011</ref> His father was Michel Besnier and his mother, Christiane.<ref name="lepointmarie"/> His paternal grandfather, André Besnier, was the founder of Lactalis in 1933.<ref name="lepointmarie"/> He has a brother, Jean-Michel, and a sister, Marie.<ref name="lepointmarie"/><ref name="valerielesechos">Valerie Landreu, [http://www.lesechos.fr/26/04/2011/lesechos.fr/0201326115025_emmanuel-besnier--un-patron-tres-discret.htm Emmanuel Besnier, un patron très discret], ''Les Echos'', April 16, 2011</ref>
He was educated at the Lycée de l'Immaculée-Conception, a Roman Catholic private lycée in Laval.<ref name="lepointmarie"/> He graduated from the ISG Business School in Paris.<ref name=LSA/>
==Career== Besnier joined Lactalis as director of development in 1995.<ref name="lepointmarie"/> He took over as the CEO in 2000, when his father died.<ref name="lepointmarie"/>
With his brother and sister, he owned 83% of Lactalis.<ref name="Forbes profile" /> He shuns publicity and has been nicknamed "the invisible billionaire".<ref name="Forbes profile" />
== Lactalis salmonella scandal == At the end of 2017, Lactalis had to recall 12 million salmonella-contaminated boxes of baby milk from 83 countries. Besnier was summoned by Bruno Lemaire to the French finance ministry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/14/lactalis-baby-milk-salmonella-scandal-affects-83-countries-ceo-says|title=Lactalis to withdraw 12m boxes of baby milk in salmonella scandal|last=Willsher|first=Kim|date=2018-01-14|website=the Guardian|access-date=2018-01-16}}</ref>
==Philanthropy== He donates Euro 200,000 annually to the Francis-Le-Basser football stadium in Laval.<ref name="lepointmarie"/> He also attends their board meetings.<ref name="lepointmarie"/> He built a private box with tinted glass, from which he watches football matches.<ref name="lepointmarie"/><ref name="lexpressnicolas">Nicolas Barriquand, [http://www.lexpress.fr/region/pays-de-la-loire/emmanuel-besnier-un-si-mysterieux-patron_1640556.html Emmanuel Besnier, un si mystérieux patron], ''L'Express'', January 26, 2015</ref>
In 2006, he was the recipient of the "Mayennais of the Year" award from the local Rotary Club.<ref name="lexpressnicolas"/>
==Personal life== He married Sandrine, a native of Laval whom he met in high school, at the Basilique Notre Dame in Laval.<ref name="lepointmarie"/><ref name="lexpressnicolas"/> They have three children.<ref name=LSA/> They reside in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.<ref name="lexpressnicolas"/> They also live in a château in Entrammes near Laval that he inherited from his father.<ref name="lepointmarie"/><ref name="lexpressnicolas"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Besnier, Emmanuel}} Category:Living people Category:1970 births Category:People from Laval, Mayenne Category:Businesspeople from Paris Category:ISG Business School alumni Category:French billionaires Category:French Roman Catholics Emmanuel