Although Antoine Frérot has a long and well-established history in the field of environmental services, this doesn’t mean that he is averse to trying out new ideas. On the contrary, his passion for innovation makes him the perfect fit as CEO of Veolia Environnement.

At Veolia, Frérot has placed the 164-year-old company on a fresh trajectory, targeting growth through the adoption of new technologies. The takeover of Chemours’ sulphur products division in the US should boost the company’s knowledge of recycling and regeneration, while the founding of Vig’iléo, a new control centre for Greater Lille, will deliver real-time data on the region’s water supply system. This, alongside other investments in digital networks, is helping to enhance the performance and security of water supply, energy provision and waste management.

As part of his work as Veolia’s CEO, Frérot places a great deal of emphasis on conservation. He has talked at length about the importance of creating a circular economy where the maximum value is extracted from all resources. As such, he has referred to himself as having a “recycle everything and waste nothing” approach to his work – an attitude that can be witnessed throughout Veolia’s operations.

Before joining his current company in 2000, he was exposed to a number of environmental issues at France’s Compagnie Générale d’Entreprises Automobiles, where he served as managing director. He has also written a book on the economic and environmental importance of clean drinking water, reminding us that environmental security is a shared responsibility.

His time as CEO has not been without its challenges, however, and Frérot has had to make difficult decisions in order to cut company debt by 50 percent and secure new contracts abroad. Even so, he has never lost sight of his main ambition: to maintain Veolia’s standing as the world’s largest water and waste group, while preparing for a future that is cleaner, sustainable and more efficient.