Gilles Martin (born 20 October 1963 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

) is a French engineer, scientist and billionaire. He is the founder and executive chairman of

Eurofins Scientific Eurofins Scientific SE is a French group of laboratories headquartered in Luxembourg, providing testing and support services to the pharmaceutical, food, environmental, agriscience and consumer products industries

Biography

Education

Martin's parents, Maryvonne Lucie Martin and Gérard-Jean Martin, were both chemistry professors at the

University of Nantes The University of Nantes (french: Université de Nantes) is a public university located in the city of Nantes, France. In addition to the several campuses scattered in the city of Nantes, there are two satellite campuses located in Saint-Nazaire a ...

. Gilles attended

Centrale Paris Centrale may refer to: Places * Centrale (Milan Metro), a rail station in Milan, Italy * Centrale (shopping centre) in Croydon, South London ** Centrale tram stop, named after the shopping centre above * Centrale Region, Togo * 138 East 50th Stree ...

where he dedicated a large part of his time to creating a company specialized in mathematics learning, Objectif Maths, alongside his friend Hervé Lecat, to whom he later sold his shares. Martin then went on to work as a research assistant at

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

, where he developed an diagnostic system using

magnetic resonance imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio wave ...

. After obtaining a master's degree and a PhD, he returned to France.

Eurofins Scientific

Originally, Martin's parents had patented a process for measuring sugar levels in wines, and entrusted their Gilles and his brother Yves-Loïc with the development and marketing of the process. The company's was launched in 1987. Gilles bought the patent from the Scientific Research National Center (CNRS), discovered new applications for the patent, and expanded the company's clientele to the entire food industry. The company quickly reached 50 employees and exported 70% of its production. Eurofins then proceeded to massively buy out other laboratories, including by financing laboratories in start-up mode. This aggressive acquisition policy allowed the company to reach 50,000 employees by 2020.

Wealth

According to

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

, Gilles Martin owns about 25% of Eurofins' capital through the family's holding company Analytical Bioventures. His fortune is estimated to be $5.2 billion, making him the 757th richest person in the world (as of December 2021).

Awards

* 2007 National Entrepreneur Award

References