NO.30 - EMMANUEL BESNIER (LACTALIS)

Age: 47

Years at current company: 18

Industry: Agri-food

Turnover: $19.8bn

Rate of growth: 23% since 2010

Despite the recent health scandal involving baby milk, Lactalis’ turnover, which has quadrupled since 2000, should only be impacted by 1%. Not enough to call into question the growth of the group. Especially since Emmanuel Besnier is conducting a series of international operations: in Australia with Harvey Fisher, and in India with Tirumala and Anik. Having recently moved into Turkey and Brazil, he has also now set out to conquer the Middle East and South America.

Notable success: a man who likes to keep out of the media glare made the company the number one in processed dairy products through a joint venture with Nestlé in 2006 and a 3.9 billion dollar takeover of Parmalat in 2011.