After studies at X-Polytechnique and ENA, Jean-Marie Messier began his career in Administration, being the special advisor to the Minister of Economy from 1986 to 1988, for the first ever privatizations program in France. In 1989, he joined the investment bank Lazard Frères and became the youngest general partner, where he created “Fonds Partenaires”, one of the first private equity funds in Europe. In 1994, Jean-Marie Messier joined as CEO, the French conglomerate Générale des Eaux then transformed it and became CEO of Vivendi Universal until 2002. By creating Messier Partners in 2003, which later become Messier Maris & associates, he founded a very successful international investment bank, operating from Paris, London and New York. Jean-Marie Messier is recognized in the TMT field as a ‘visionary’ of the convergence evolution (every content, everywhere on whatever screen, anytime).