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| World Economic Forum 2002 - Profiles |
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| Jean-Claude Trichet Published: January 30 2002 15:38GMT | Last Updated: January 30 2002 20:24GMT |
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 Jean-Claude Trichet, Born: December, 1942; Lyon, France Education: Ingenieur civil des mines; Institut d'etudes politiques de Paris; Ecole Nationale d'Administration.
A life-time civil servant, Mr Trichet was appointed head of the Treasury in 1987 and governor of the Bank of France in 1993. He is known for his hardline tactics regarding monetary policy as well as his confrontations with the French government and president. He was at the heart of the long and complex project nursing the single currency through to the launch of euro notes and coins. Mr Trichet bore the brunt of criticism for the so-called franc fort policy that pre-dated France's entry into the single currency. The French government has always maintained that under an informal agreement struck at the time of his appointment in May 1998, Wim Duisenberg promised to make way after four years for Mr Trichet, governor of the Bank of France. However, French magistrates are still probing his involvement, when head of the Treasury in the alleged falsification of the accounts of Credit Lyonnais in 1992-93. |