Pierre Louis-Dreyfus

Businessman

Birthday May 17, 1908

Birth Sign Taurus

Birthplace Paris, France

DEATH DATE 2011, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France (103 years old)

Nationality France

#27624 Most Popular

1851

His paternal grandfather, Léopold Louis-Dreyfus, founded the Louis Dreyfus Group in 1851.

1908

Pierre Louis-Dreyfus (17 May 1908 – 15 January 2011) was a French Resistance fighter during World War II who later served as CEO of the Louis Dreyfus Cie.

Pierre Louis-Dreyfus was born on 17 May 1908 in Paris, one of four children born to Charles Louis-Dreyfus (1870–1929), a merchant and ship-owner, and Sarah Germaine Hément.

His family was Jewish.

She remarried to Michel Théodore Robert Edmond Porges (1908-1999).

1909

He had two siblings, brother François Louis-Dreyfus (1909–1958) and sister, Arlette Louis

1911

-Dreyfus (1911–2001).

His granddaughter is Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

1928

In 1928, he graduated from the Lycée Condorcet with a joint degree in arts and law.

Called to military service, he became a cadet in the Reserve Cavalry School at Saumur in October 1928 and was released in May 1929 with the rank of sub-lieutenant.

1929

He was then assigned to the 6th Dragoons until his release in October 1929.

Thereafter, he worked in the family business, Louis Dreyfus & Cie., eventually becoming a partner.

In 1929, he married American-born Dolores Neubauer, the daughter of a Jewish Brazilian father and a Mexican mother.

1930

They had two children: a daughter, Dominique (b. 1930), and a son, Gerard (1932–2016).

1931

Louis-Dreyfus participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans eleven times between 1931 and 1955.

1935

They separated in 1935 and divorced in 1936.

1939

He was recalled in August 1939 and served as a lieutenant in the 2nd Dragoon Regiment.

He served two rotations in Luxembourg and France before again being discharged after the French capitulation.

In 1939, Pierre married Claude Singer.

1940

Dolores obtained custody of children and while Pierre was fighting in World War II; she moved to the United States in 1940 and returned to France in 1945.

1941

In 1941, along with his friends, Emile Laffon, Jacques Bounin and Emmanuel d'Astier, he came into contact with and joined the French Resistance.

Having extensive military training, Louis-Dreyfus was assigned responsibility for coordinating the resistance groups in the south of France.

1942

He was forced to flee France in December 1942 and arrived back in England in January 1943.

1943

In April 1943, he joined the 1st Free French Division in Africa and was promoted to captain serving as a liaison officer with the Scottish 51st Highland Division.

In December 1943, he requested assignment to the Bomber Group "Lorraine" where he served as a gunner.

1944

From July 1944 until May 1945, he flew 81 bombing missions on the Western Front in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.

He received four citations for his "tireless work" and for exhibiting the "best professional qualities, military and moral."

1945

They had two children, Philippe (b. 1945) and Danièle Louis-Dreyfus (died 2006).

Philippe is the president of Louis Dreyfus Shipping.

He married Anne Boinvilliers, with whom he has three children Charlotte, Edouard, and Marie.

Danièle married Jean Sudreau, the son of French politician Pierre Sudreau; they have a daughter, Laure Sudreau.

1967

After the war, he returned to the family business, Louis-Dreyfus and Co where he became first vice-president and then served as CEO from 1967 until 1975.

He significantly expanded the maritime trade of the company under his direction.

1969

He was a member of the Conseil de l'Ordre de la Libération from June 1969.

Louis-Dreyfus was married twice.

2006

Danièle died of breast cancer in 2006.

2011

The company, now known as Louis Dreyfus Group, had $46 billion in sales in 2011.

Upon retirement, his son, Gérard Louis-Dreyfus, headed the company.

He has also served Vice President on the Board of Directors Société d'entraide des Compagnons de la Libération (Society for the Support for members of the French Resistance), was a member of the Conseil supérieur de la marine marchande (Supreme Council of Marine Merchants) and vice-president of the Comité central des armateurs de France (Central Committee of French shipowners).

2013

He was then assigned as a representative of the French Army assigned to the 137th Wing of the Royal Air Force.