So it was to some surprise that the proposal was made this week not by a maverick backbencher but by the finance minister, Thierry Breton.

ECONOMIST: Why plans to cut France's wealth tax are unlikely to succeed

France's antipathy for the deal may have mellowed into a typical Gallic shrug: On Thursday, French Finance Minister Thierry Breton said shareholders, not governments, would decide the outcome.

FORBES: Magazine Article

France Telecom's new boss, Thierry Breton, has said seven and a half of the thirteen thousand job cuts will be in France, the remainder at its overseas businesses.

BBC: ���� �ߧ�ӧ�����: France Telecom job cuts

Eighteen months from now Thierry Breton, CEO of Atos one of the largest information technology companies in the world, plans to have eliminated email as a communication and collaboration medium within his company.

FORBES: CEO Bans Email