Pierre LAPORTE, 46, is a graduate of the Paris Institut d'Etudes Politiques, and has a post-graduate diploma in Business Law from l'Université Paris I. He also has an international diploma in Law (LL.M.) from the University of Georgetown, Washington D.C. He began his career as a lawyer working for several law firms in Washington and Paris, then in 1997 joined General Electric Healthcare International, where he held a variety of positions within Legal Affairs before being appointed General Counsel for Europe and Asia in 1999.
As of July 2005, he is appointed Vice President, Legal Affairs for T&D and Deputy Vice President, Legal Affairs for the AREVA group.
Bernard de GOUTTES, 63, holds a master's degree in Corporate law and is a graduate of the Institut de Sciences Pénales et Criminologie. He is a member of the French bar, of the Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale and was trained for the bench at the Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature. Judge de Gouttes began his career as advisor to the Ministry of Justice in Laos. He took over management of the office of legislation in the Energy and Raw Materials Division in 1976. In 1982, he joined the Ministry of Overseas Departments and Territories as under-secretary for political and international affairs, later becoming high commissioner of French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
In 1998, Bernard de Gouttes became Director of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Justice. After serving as Attorney General in New Caledonia, he became Attorney General at the appeals court in Colmar, a position he has held in May 2001. As of September 2001, Bernard de Gouttes is in charge of Legal Affairs for AREVA. He is a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor.