Globalisation:CSR Europe:People
Etienne Davignon
Viscount Etienne Davignon was born in 1932 and is the current President of CSR Europe. He is also the majority shareholder and Vice-President of Suez, an international industrial and services group which "designs sustainable and innovative solutions in the management of public utilities as a partner of public authorities, businesses and individuals". [1]
In 2007, Davignon was nominated for the Worst EU Lobbying Awards for "advising EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel about African development issues, even though he sits on the board of directors for Suez – a transnational corporation looking to expand its energy and water business into Africa." [2] Though both Davignon and Michel insisted a conflict of interest did not exist, the frantic issue of initial then revised statements from the European Commission and Davignon himself suggested that prolonged media interest in the relationship between Davignon and Michel could be extremely damaging. Viscount Davignon has since been reappointed as one of Michel's advisors, but his nomination for the award serves as a permanent blemish on his record.
Davignon is also President of the controversial Bilderberger Group, a group of world leaders and powerful business elites who have been accused by conspiracy theorists of everything from holding back a cure for cancer to orchestrating the unification of North America. [3] Though it is unlikely that such imaginative conspiracies have any foundation, it is likely that the group allows business interests to become mixed with political interests to ensure mutual gain.
Davignon therefore appears as an elite business leader who is no stranger to high-level power. Though accusations are unproven, it appears that he has many opportunities to mix his business and personal interests in Suez with the political world into which he is often invited.
As a corporate lobbying group, therefore, CSR Europe is bound to enjoy success with Etienne Davignon as President. He has the influence to ensure business interests remain at the top of political agendas.
- ↑ Suez Profile, Accessed 12 March 2008
- ↑ Corporate Europe Observatory website, Accessed 20 March 2008
- ↑ Canada.com website, Accessed 14 March 2008
