Lazare, Joseph, Léon Carnot

lazarejosephcarnot(Paris 9 novembre 1903, Paris 20 juin 1990)

Grandson of Sadi Carnot, President of the Republic.

Son of Ernest Carnot, founder of businesses in the new technologies of the time, and of Marguerite Chiris, descendant of the perfumers of Grasse. He studied at the Janson-de-Sailly High School in Paris, and then at the École nationale des mines de Paris, where he graduated as an engineer in 1926.
Unlike his father, he decided to assume management responsibilities within the Société de la Viscose française created by Ernest Carnot in 1903.
Mobilized during World War Two, he was a well-respected and influential officer. He was decorated with the Military Cross (1939-1945), and the Combatant’s Cross.
He was named Director in 1935, and then became the General Manager of the CTA (Compagnie des Textiles Artificiels et Synthétiques) from 1944 to 1962. He bore the heavy responsibility of restarting the factories that had been shut down or partially destroyed during the War. From 1947, he established “business committees”. He was President of Cellophane From 1955 to 1961 and then President of Pricel from 1962 to 1966 (after the merger of CTA and Rhône-Poulenc, Celtex was renamed Pricel).He was a business leader who listened to his staff, thus creating the conditions of a permanent social dialogue. As an employer, his personnel respected him for his sense of justice. His role as an industrial leader led to his induction into the Knights of the Legion of Honor on the 23rd of May 1951.
He resigned in 1966, in order to devote himself to his “violons of Ingres”: genealogical study, classification of family archives, art collection.He kept administrative positions in Rhône-Poulenc S.A., Rhodiaceta, Pricel, Compagnie financière de Suez, Union parisienne, and Compagnie d’activités associées. 
He married Miss Marie-Rose Françoy on the 2nd of September 1936, and had 4 children: Jean-Marie (killed in service for his country), Gaëtan, Marie-Cecile (Mrs. François Sauvy), May-France (Mrs. Kevin Muench).