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Jean-François Palus

President, HEC Foundation · France

✓ Verified current role· as of 2026-09-22

Jean-François Palus is the CEO of HEC Foundation. Palus is based in France. Palus was born in 1961 in Albi and educated at HEC Paris.

Jean-François Palus is a French businessman who graduated from HEC Paris and spent 35 years in luxury retail, serving as Group Managing Director of Kering and President & CEO of Gucci. He took over as President of the HEC Foundation in November 2025 to lead a €300 million fundraising campaign.

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Recent developments

AI summary of recent coverage

Recent coverage has focused on Jean-François Palus' leadership role at HEC Paris, including the institution's ambitious €300 million fundraising initiative over five years framed around a "New Responsibilities" strategy, as well as HEC's recognition among top business schools to watch. Earlier coverage highlighted Palus' appointment as chairman of PUMA's administrative board and his receipt of the French Order of Merit.

Summarized from the headlines below; see each source for the full story.

Born
October 28, 1961 · Albi
Citizenship
France
Education
HEC Paris
Awards
Officer of the National Order of Merit

Our coverage

On CEOInsider

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Jean-François Palus: FAQ

Who is Jean-François Palus?
Jean-François Palus is the President of HEC Foundation, based in France.
What company does Jean-François Palus lead?
Jean-François Palus is CEO of HEC Foundation.
Where was Jean-François Palus educated?
Jean-François Palus studied at HEC Paris.