Nicolas de Tavernost, born in France in 1950, started his career in 1974 at the French Foreign Trade Department. In 1976, he moved to Zurich to become secretary for the French Chamber of Commerce. One year later, he returned to France as press spokesperson for the Ministry for Post and Telecommunications, working under Norbert Segard. From 1981 to 1986, de Tavernost headed various governmental delegations, and eventually worked as director of the audiovisual activities at Lyonnaise des Eaux. In 1987 he joined M6 as managing director and became president of M6 Publicité in 1988. Since May 2000 de Tavernost has held the post of CEO and chairman of the Management Board of the M6 Group.  He is also President of the Association of Commercial Televisions since June 2003.