Gilles Michel, is a graduate from École Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles de Paris (1974), and Paris VI University (PhD in Computer Sciences) in 1977.

He starts his career with Schlumberger and is involved in various technical and managerial positions in France and in the USA. In 1987, he becomes VP Cementing and Well treatment products lines for Dowell-Schlumberger and in 1994 he participates in the creation of an internal start-up in Schlumberger: IPM, and takes the position of VP Drilling Operations for Schlumberger IPM worldwide.

In 1999 he is appointed Region VP Schlumberger IPM North and South America, based in Houston, where he develops and deploys the integrated drilling contracts through the region, opening new activities in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Equator.

In 2000, he joins Group Gemplus in France as President of the Financial and Security Business Unit, and develops his knowledge of listed companies in financial, accounting, legal and governance practices.

In 2004, he is appointed Chairman and CEO of Cybernetix SA (180 people), a French technology company listed on Euronext and in difficulties. He restructures the company and develops it with a strategy focused on offshore oil & gas products and services, taking advantage of the rising offshore deepwater developments in West Africa & Brazil. He successfully sells the company to Technip in 2011 and joins Technip as VP Asset Integrity Management where he creates and develops an organization for “Life of Field Services” (North Sea, West-Africa, Brazil).

In October 2014, he joins the board of FOROIL and in January 2016 he is appointed Vice-Chairman of Foroil.