Clément Fayat, founder of the Bordeaux construction group of the same name, the fourth in the sector in France, died Sunday at the age of 90, we learned Monday from the management, who hailed a "visionary entrepreneur and a "tireless worker".

The entrepreneur from Corrèze, who left the presidency of the group in 2013 for health reasons, founded his first earthmoving company in Libourne (Gironde) in 1957, after starting at the age of 15 as a simple apprentice mason. , in the footsteps of his father.

A group that employs 21,000 people

In more than half a century, the entrepreneur has patiently raised his company to fourth place among French construction groups.

The Fayat empire today weighs 4.6 billion euros in turnover (2021) and employs 21,000 people in 231 subsidiaries and companies present in 170 countries.

It also presents itself as the “first independent French construction group” and the “world leader in road equipment”.

Over the past thirty years, the list has become long of companies acquired by the group, whose headquarters are in Bordeaux.

Among them, Genest (1994), Bec Frères (2002), Razel (2008), Cari (2010) in France, Marini (1985) in Italy, Bomag (2004) in Germany.

These acquisitions have opened up important international markets for this discreet but skilful negotiator, particularly in Africa, the United States and China.

In this industrial success, a shadow on the board: the liquidation in 2011, barely seven months after its takeover, of the centenary company Richard Ducros, based in Alès (Gard).

Owner of the La Dominique and Clément-Pichon castles

Less known to the general public than its main competitors Vinci, Bouygues or Eiffage, and yet associated with prestigious buildings such as the Opéra Bastille or the Musée d'Orsay, the group has benefited, like them, from the development of public-private partnerships ( PPP).

When he left the business in 2013, he left the reins to his sons Jean-Claude and Laurent, respectively chairman and managing director.

Besides work, this adopted Girondin also loved wine.

In 1969, he acquired Château La Dominique, in the Saint-Emilion vineyard, whose cellar was designed by the architect Jean Nouvel.

Since his retirement, Clément Fayat, a member of the closed club of French billionaires, had retired to the Médoc.

Also owner of Château Clément-Pichon, in Haut-Médoc and Château Fayat (Pomerol), he brought together the wine-growing activity of the group within the Vignobles Clément Fayat.

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