Hubert Védrine
Hubert Yves Pierre Védrine is a French retired senior civil servant and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2002. A member of the Socialist Party, he was an advisor and later secretary general at the Élysée under President François Mitterrand. Following his retirement from politics, Védrine became an advisor at Moelis & Company.
Early life and career
Following a history degree and graduating from both Sciences Po and ENA, Védrine had toyed with the idea of entering journalism but, on the advice of the historian and family friend Jean Lacouture, instead took a post at the culture ministry.Védrine was one of the longest-serving aides to a French President and worked closely with President François Mitterrand from 1981 to 1995. Védrine served first as Mitterrand's diplomatic advisor from 1981 to 1988, then as Mitterrand's spokesperson from 1988 to 1991, and finally as Secretary-General of the French presidency from 1991 to 1995.
Védrine then served as Foreign Minister of France from 1997 to 2002 in the government of Lionel Jospin.
After the re-election of Jacques Chirac in May 2002, Védrine was replaced by Dominique de Villepin. All three men were characterised by their strong opposition to unilateral action by the United States in Iraq.
Védrine popularized the neologism hyperpower to describe what he saw as the historically-unparalleled influence and might that were held by the United States at the turn of the century.
Later career
In 2003, Védrine founded Hubert Vedrine Conseil, a consulting firm.In 2005, he was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, a member of the High Council for the Alliance of Civilizations, an initiative that seeks to galvanize international action against extremism through intercultural and interreligious dialogue and cooperation.
He took part in 2007 on the committee preparing the Paris Conference on the Environment to lay the foundations for a future United Nations Environment Organization.
Védrine is the author of more than 19 books, two of them having been translated in English by Philip H. Gordon: France in an age of globalization, co-authored with Dominique Moïsi and History strikes back : how states, nations, and conflicts are shaping the twenty-first century, co-authored with Adrien Abecassis and Mohamed Bouabdallah.
Around the 2017 elections, news media reported that later President Emmanuel Macron sought regularly the advice of Védrine on foreign policy issues. In 2020, he was appointed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to join a group of experts to support his work in a reflection process to further strengthen NATO's political dimension.
Other activities
Corporate boards
- Amundi, Chairman of the Global Advisory Board
- Moelis & Company, Member of the Global Advisory Board
- Richard Attias and Associates, Member of the International Advisory Board
- LVMH, Independent Member of the Board of Directors
- Ipsos, Independent Member of the Board of Directors
Non-profit organizations
- Rencontres d'Arles, Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Alliance of Civilizations, Member
- France China Foundation, Member of the Strategic Committee
- French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, Member of the Board of Directors
- Paris School of International Affairs, Member of the Strategic Committee
- Senior Network Member at the European Leadership Network
Political positions
Recognition
| Ribbon bar | Country | Honour |
| Italy | Grand Officier of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic | |
| Moldova | Grand Officier of the Order of Work Glory | |
| Monaco | Grand Officier of the Order of Saint-Charles | |
| Image:POL Order Zaslugi RP kl1 BAR.svg|60px|1st class | Poland | Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland |
| Portugal | Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry | |
| Romania | Grand Officier of the Order of the Star of Romania |