behind the scenes of the directory of French elites – L’Express

For 70 years, Who’s Who, an expensive red bible – a copy costs 690 euros – has listed all the experts France has in their fields. The directory of more than 2000 pages now brings together nearly 20,000 personalities: big bosses, senior civil servants, artists, intellectuals, politicians. The repertoire of the French elite – a very exclusive club for some, an outdated breviary for others – delivers its 2024 edition this Tuesday, November 14. A version of the work placed under the direction of a new boss: in April, the directory was bought by Franck Papazian, founder of the Mediaschool group of schools and who already owned the media Strategies and CB News. The new boss of Who’s Who intends to transform the work into a platform of influence. In the age of Wikipedia and LinkedIn, the venerable dictionary is trying to find its place among younger generations.

Created in 1953 based on the model of its American big brother, Who’s Who in France originally brought together the names, positions and personal addresses of 5,000 people. Predominantly male in the early days – its first edition included only 5.2% women, compared to 37.5% in 2023, the most female promotion so far – the biographical dictionary brought together above all the big bosses. “These directories are a valuable source for anyone working on these relatively discreet people, who cultivate interpersonal relationships. Bourdieu notably used Who’s Who for his book on big bosses, points out Catherine Comet, professor at the university of Paris 8, specialist in economic elites. These directories list the members of the elite group and are intended for other members of this same sphere, in order to collect information about each other.

The France of the Trente Glorieuses, rich in its large steel and textile companies, counted Schneider, Wendel, and Boussac in its Who’s Who. If business leaders still make up 47% of names in 2023 – the directory has diversified. The actress Isabelle Adjani joined it, for example, in 1985; the academic Pascal Perrineau in 1992; the singer Francis Cabrel in 1998; Nobel Prize winner in economics Esther Duflo in 2015.

Recently, the 2018 edition welcomed comedians Jamel Debbouze and Kev Adams. That of 2023, the actress Camille Cottin, as well as her Malaysian colleague Michelle Yeoh – Who’s Who is usually reserved for French personalities, but Yeoh married last year the former racing driver Jean Todt, himself registered in the directory since 1987. It’s difficult for Who’s Who not to solicit an Oscar-winning actress. Because no one asks to “enter” Who’s Who. Unlike the World Directory, which lists the unions and births of good society, we do not pay to appear there either: we are selected.

Every year, the red book team sends prospecting emails to personalities, according to criteria which often seem mysterious. First, some of the personalities listed are likely to enter automatically: all that France has of prefects, ambassadors, bishops, regional or central administration directors, parliamentarians and 2S generals – the “2nd section of general officers”, who have left active service – can appear there if they respond positively to the email from the Who’s Who team.

“For senior civil servants, ‘being there’ has become a visibility issue,” explains political scientist Luc Rouban, research director at the CNRS and at the Sciences Po political research center (CEVIPOF), himself registered since 2012. Who’s Who is part of a form of social selection, it is a way of being associated with the very selective sector of the large bodies of the State. Directory of senior civil servants, the red bible even had to choose to redact some of them: in recent years, these profiles constituted nearly “40%” of the directory, explains an internal source – who left the company since . Each year, it must release as many profiles as are registered there: between 500 and 600 people on average. Three elements can explain this deletion: the total cessation of activity, the death of a person, or a legal conviction. In 1995, Bernard Tapie was, for example, ousted from Who’s Who after being sentenced to two years in prison for corruption and witness tampering in the Valenciennes-OM affair. In addition to the elite of the State, young people are also invited, particularly coveted at a time when the directory is seeking to lower the average age of its readers. Xavier Jaravel, winner of the France 2022 Young Economist Prize, indicates that he received an email “in the wake of” his nomination, like “probably all the other winners”.

After giving their consent, they must then complete a biographical form. 4 pages long, it must in principle be updated each spring by those interested, or by their assistants. “It’s tedious!” comments an executive assistant to a business leader who entered Who’s Who in the early 90s. Every year, I want to hang myself: we need to update their profession , their activity, their associations…” But also their possible decorations, check their year and place of birth, as well as, ideally, their address, the name and profession of their parents, that of their spouse or still the first names of their children. This data is then cross-checked by the Who’s Who editorial staff – when it actually arrives in their hands.

Because these details are given more and more backwards. Over the years, those concerned have become more and more reluctant to provide them. The actress Arielle Dombasle, for example, does not want to enter Who’s Who, refusing to give her year of birth. Others, like Michel-Edouard Leclerc, rejected the request for symbolic reasons. In a letter sent to Antoine Hébrard, the former boss of Who’s Who – who died last March – the man at the head of the eponymous centers argued that the directory did not correspond to his values. Often considered too elitist, too symbolic of oneself, the hyper notebook of the elite is however also shunned by very prestigious names, such as that of Xavier Niel, or the boss of Publicis Maurice Levy.

The younger generation often struggles to see the benefit of such a work. “The bankers, the insurers, all this little world of ‘dad’ economics still knows Who’s Who, judges the assistant we interviewed, still using it regularly to organize events. But the youngest? start-uppers? They have often moved on.” In 2023, when the big names in tech can be accessible in a message on LinkedIn, Who’s Who has lost a little of its splendor. The company has tried to digitize itself. “We wanted to differentiate ourselves by offering precise search criteria: on the site, you could filter candidates according to their profession, but also their centers of interest,” explains Manuela d’Halloy, former director general of Who’s Who from 2014 to 2018. We also wanted to differentiate ourselves by highlighting the seriousness of our biographies.” Faced with Wikipedia, an encyclopedia aggregating multiple sources – and not always flattering – on the biographies of personalities, Who’s Who intended to distinguish itself by ensuring control of their pedigree. “Which is an assurance, in addition to being a flattering recognition, slips the sociologist Gérald Bronner, to Who’s Who since 2014. This is also a good part of the business model of Who’s Who: an economy of pride “.

In recent years, the business model started to hiccup. According to several internal sources, the latest edition sold around 1,500 copies – compared to 5,000 in the past. The sign of a paradoxical lack of notoriety, for a work supposed to speak to the elite. “The youngest, in particular, are always surprised when we contact them,” recognizes Franck Papazian. “They have often only heard of Who’s Who when their grandfather or father appeared there.” To restart the machine, his new boss intends to expand the Who’s Who network.

From a simple directory, Franck Papazian intends to transform it “into an influence and networking platform”. “We are going to organize the 70th anniversary of Who’s Who, and then, starting in February, monthly dinners with a great witness, explains the person concerned. There will also be the Antoine Hébrard literary prize, in tribute to the man who ‘worn for 39 years’. To these events will be added evenings and debates in the region, to bring Who’s Who out of the capital. What to rekindle the flame for the big red book?