On behalf of the President of the French Republic, H.E. Pierre Cochard, ambassador of France to Serbia, honored Mr. Eric Blanchetête with the National Order of Merit knight medal. The ceremony was held in Belgrade in the presence of senator Jean-Yves Leconte, representing the constituency of French citizens living abroad, colleagues, friends, and family of Mr. Blanchetête.
Ambassador Mr. Cochard praised the extraordinary dedication of Mr. Blanchetête to France-Serbia relations, the French business community in Serbia, and generally speaking, to civic duties in our community.
Eric Blanchetête started his career in banking in France, then in Central and Eastern Europe, where he was in charge of opening the first Societe Générale Bank branch offices (in Serbia, Russia, Ukraine) and BNO Paribas (in Serbia, and Russia). A turning point in his career was in 2009, when the Group, now called White Technologies, was established, with him as a CEO specializing in machinery. The Group comprises nine factories, including a Serbian one in Pirot that opened in 2012. He’s also the President of Paxton Equity, one of Serbia’s largest banking consultant companies.
The National Order of Merit was established in 1963 by general Charles de Gaulle and has been one of the two most important French national orders with the Legion of Honour.