born Nov. 9, 1888, Cognac, France
died March 16, 1979, Houjarray
French economist and diplomat.
He managed his family's brandy business before becoming a partner of an investment bank (1925). In World War II he chaired a Franco-British economic committee and proposed a Franco-British union. In 1947 he created and directed the successful Monnet Plan to rebuild and modernize France's economy. In 1950, with Robert Schuman , he proposed the plan for the European Coal and Steel Community , predecessor of the European Economic Community and the European Union , and served as its first president (1952–55). He was also the founder and president of the action committee for the United States of Europe (1955–75).