Veteran tyre boss, Francois Michelin, dies

Francois Michelin, who led France's famed tyre company for nearly half a century, died at the age of 88, the group said on April 29. 

"We have learned today with deep emotion that Mr Francois Michelin has passed away," a Michelin statement said, without giving further details.
   
"Mr Francois Michelin dedicated his life to the company. He headed it for 47 years, when he handed over the reins to his son Edouard. A visionary and a humanitarian, (he) tirelessly embodied the values of respect that are the very foundation of our group's identity," the statement said.
 
Michelin was less than 30 years old when he became a co-director in 1955, and helped transform it into one of the world's top three tyre manufacturers alongside Bridgestone and Goodyear.
 
In 1999 Michelin vacated the group's top spot to make way for Edouard, who drowned in a boating accident in 2006 that left France stunned.    

Francois Michelin was one of several family members who directed the company founded in 1889 by his grandfather.    

He was famous for a discretion that earned him the title of "France's most secretive boss" by the national press -- the company did not even have a communications department until after he retired.
 
He had his share of tragedy, not only losing his son but also being orphaned at an early age after his father died in a plane crash and his mother passed away when he was only 10.    

After studying maths at university, Michelin went to work in the company's factories under a secret identity, spending four years learning the business from the ground floor.    

Those experiences stayed with him, and he would regularly visit the company's factories and workshops to meet the employees,...