Christian Blanckaert

Biography

Christian BLANCKAERT is an affiliate Professor of Law at ESCP Europe Paris campus. He graduated from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, and from the Faculty of Law of Paris. Whilst studying political science, Christian Blanckaert went on a short exchange to Berkeley University in California on an economic program in 1964. When Christian Blanckaert graduated, he briefly worked for Nouvelles Galéries before taking a job as an economic advisor for the French Government in the French Territory of Martinique. When he graduated from INSEAD (MBA in 1970), Christian Blanckaert went to work for Harbridge House in Boston as a consultant. He worked in both Boston and London for Harbridge before leaving to join one of his customers Bricorama, the French DIY chain. Christian Blanckaert eventually became Managing Director of Bricorama before being spotted in a test movie by a headhunter to become Chairman and CEO of Thomson-Distribution. In 1981 Thomson was nationalised and Christian Blanckaert  was head hunted again to become MD of SCAC, a corporation that bizarrely owned Bricorama. In 1988 the owners sold SCAC and Christian Blanckaert entered the luxury goods market for the first time when he became President of Comité Colbert, a group of 70 French luxury companies. In 1996 he was hired by Jean-Louis Dumas to be Chairman and CEO of Hermès Sellier, the main subsidiary of the Hermès Group. Christian Blanckaert spent the last 23 years in the luxury goods market before leaving to become President of Petit-Bateau, as well as a Professor and consultant. Christian Blanckaert is also very active in the non-profit arena. For the past 17 years he has been Vice President of ‘Action against Hunger’, an international network committed to saving the lives of malnourished children and families. Christian Blanckeart is also Chairman of the board of the French National school of Decorative Arts (ENSAD).

Research Interest