Jean-Paul Huchon

Jean-Paul Huchon (born 29 July 1946) is a French retired civil servant and politician of the Socialist Party (PS) who served as Mayor of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine from 1994 to 2001 and President of the Regional Council of Île-de-France from 1998 until 2015.

Early life and education
Huchon graduated from Sciences Po in 1967 and from the École nationale d'administration in 1971. Jean-Claude Trichet was a classmate.

Early career

 * 1971 to 1975: civil administrator at the Budget Directorate of the Ministry of Finance
 * 1975 to 1978: civil administrator at the International Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
 * 1978 to 1981: head of the Agriculture and European Office at the Budget Directorate of the Ministry of Finance
 * 1981 to 1985: Chief of Staff to Michel Rocard (Planning Commission, then Agriculture Ministry)
 * 1985 to 1986: general manager of Crédit Agricole
 * 1988 to 1991: Chief of Staff to Michel Rocard (Prime Minister of France)
 * 1991 to 1998: general manager for François Pinault
 * 2006 to 2015: president of the Metropolis organisation

Career in local politics

 * Mayor of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine: 1994–2001. Elected in 1994, after the resignation of Michel Rocard. Reelected in 1995.
 * Deputy Mayor of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine: 1977–1994. Reelected in 1983, 1989.
 * Municipal councillor of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine: 1977–2014. Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2008

President of the Regional Council of Île-de-France, 1998–2015
In 2004, Huchon served as the vice president of the bidding committee for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

In 2007, Huchon was found guilty of illegal taking of interest together with his wife Dominique Le Texier in a case of public contracts awarded in 2002 and 2003. On appeal in 2008 he was found guilty again and sentenced to a suspended prison sentence of 6 months and a €60,000 fine.

Huchon was a keynote speaker at the 2008 Metropolis congress in Sydney, October 2008. He addressed world mayors and industry leaders on issues of eco-regions and governance in the 21st century.

In the Socialist Party's 2011 primaries, Huchon endorsed Martine Aubry as the party's candidate for the 2012 presidential election.

On 11 February 2014, Huchon was among the guests invited to the state dinner hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama in honor of President François Hollande at the White House.

Huchon eventually did not run for reelection in 2015.

Life after politics
Huchon has been an adjunct professor at HEC Paris.

Ahead of the 2017 presidential election, Huchon endorsed Emmanuel Macron. In 2018, he was named honorary president of the regional council.

Awards

 * Légion d'honneur officer
 * Ordre national du Mérite
 * Mérite Agricole

Books

 * 1972: Le Marché Commun
 * 1993: Jours tranquilles à Matignon
 * 2002: La Montagne aux singes
 * 2005: Ceux qui aiment ne peuvent pas perdre