Jean-Claude Decaux

French businessman

Jean-Claude Decaux (15 September 1937 – 27 May 2016) was a French businessman and founder of advertising company JCDecaux. The company is now run by his sons, Jean-François Decaux and Jean-Charles Decaux.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Jean-Claude Decaux (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Sep 15, 1937, died May 27, 2016.1

Companies

Career

Occupation: businessperson.4

At the age of 18, inspired by an argument with his father over the family shoe store's window display, Jean-Claude started a business creating billboards along French roadways. In 1963, legislation in France placed restrictions on billboard use which forced Decaux out of business. He founded JCDecaux in 1964. He made a deal with the city of Lyon, proposing that he would build bus shelters and keep them clean in exchange for advertising space there. The company quickly expanded to other cities.

In 1980, Decaux personally designed the Sanisette public toilet, a self-cleaning public toilet, as a replacement for the pissoirs of Paris.

In January 2015, according to Forbes, he had a net worth of $6.2 billion.

From Wikipedia’s article on Jean-Claude Decaux (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornSep 15, 1937, Beauvais5
  • DiedMay 27, 2016, Neuilly-sur-Seine6
  • CitizenshipFrance7
  • Children38

Jean-Claude Decaux was the son of a shoe salesman in Beauvais, France.

He was married with three children and lived in Paris.

He died on 27 May 2016 aged 78.

From Wikipedia’s article on Jean-Claude Decaux (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.