Xavier Niel is a Co-Founder of Kima Ventures, the Paris investment fund he created in March 2010. He is the majority shareholder and historic leader of the Iliad Group and has worked in the telematics, internet and telecommunications industries since the late 1980s, creating 3617 ANNU, launching the internet access provider Free in 1999 and introducing the Freebox set-top box in 2002. Since 2010 he has been a controlling shareholder of the newspaper Le Monde alongside Pierre Berge and Matthieu Pigasse. He is also the founder of Station F, the Paris startup campus he bought the building for in 2013 and which opened to the public in 2017.
Previous Experience
Majority shareholder and historic leader, Iliad Group
Founder, 3617 ANNU
Founder, Free
Founder, Station F
Controlling shareholder, Le Monde (with Pierre Berge and Matthieu Pigasse)
Career Timeline
1999
Launched Free, described by Kima Ventures as the first free access provider in France.
2002
Created the Freebox, a multi-service set-top box providing triple play access at home.
2010
Became a controlling shareholder of the newspaper Le Monde alongside Pierre Berge and Matthieu Pigasse.
2010
Created Kima Ventures in March 2010 as his own investment fund.
2013
Purchased the former Paris freight building that he transformed into Station F, the startup campus he founded.