Friends Lecture: Michel Picaud

With generous support from the Mark and Mary Goff Fiterman Fund, the Friends of the Institute present Michel Picaud, President of the Friends of Notre Dame de Paris and “Notre Dame de Paris: Rebirth of an International Treasure”.

Notre Dame is a beloved medieval gothic cathedral that has stood for over 800 years. In April of 2019, a structural fire broke out that caused extensive damage and collapsed the cathedral spire. Can Notre Dame reopen as planned by the end of 2024? Michel Picaud will share insights and stories about the challenges and promises of the reconstruction process. He will share the latest updates on the restoration of one of the most beautiful and well-known cathedrals in the world.

Seating in the Pillsbury Auditorium is now at capacity. Overflow seating will be available in the Wells Fargo Community Room, no registration required. 

Michel Picaud is President of Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds to accelerate the restoration of the iconic Paris cathedral, a position he has held since its incorporation in October 2016. Prior to that Michel served as COO for International Markets of the Demos Group, one of the main European learning and development companies, and as President and CEO of HR Access Solutions, a leading Human Resources software provider part of Fidelity Investments. Michel was also SVP for Orange Business Services/Equant, CEO of Alcatel Réseaux d’Entreprise. He worked for the Bosch Telecom Group in France and in Germany. He is a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique Paris, Mines ParisTech and Telecom ParisTech. He is married and is the proud father of four sons and two daughters and grandfather of one granddaughter.