Francois Rollier

François Rollier (1915–1992) was a French lawyer and businessman. He was a key executive at the Michelin company from 1956, serving as a director between 1966 and 1991 alongside his cousin, François Michelin, and, from 1986, René Zingraff.^[1]

François Rollier
Born	1915
Died	1992
Nationality	French
Occupation(s)	Businessman, Lawyer
Known for	Leadership at Michelin and Citroën
Title	Chairman of Citroën (1970–1975), Director at Michelin (1966–1991)
Children	Michel Rollier, Philippe Rollier

Career

Michelin

Rollier joined Michelin in 1956 and played a crucial role in the company's expansion. By 1966, he became one of Michelin's leading directors, helping guide the company alongside François Michelin. He remained in this position until his retirement in 1991, after which Édouard Michelin succeeded him.^[2]

Citroën

On 24 June 1970, Rollier was appointed chairman of Citroën, a leading automobile manufacturer that had been financially struggling and was acquired by Michelin, its main creditor, in the 1930s.^[1] At the time of his appointment, Citroën had recently introduced the Citroën GS, a model seen as key to its financial recovery.^[1] However, the 1973 oil crisis severely impacted the company, leading to heavy losses. In 1975, Michelin ceded control of Citroën to Peugeot, forming PSA Peugeot Citroën.^[3]

Personal life

François Rollier was the father of Michel Rollier, who served as a director and board member at Michelin from 2006 to 2021.^[4] His other son, Philippe Rollier, was the CEO of Lafarge North America.^[5]