Michaël Grunelius, the founder and leader for 44 years of Manpower France, and recipient of France’s prestigious Legion d’Honneur, has died.

Grunelius established Manpower France in 1957, as the company’s first foray into a non-English speaking country following its US foundation in 1948, with Canada and UK offices both opening in 1956.

He was awarded the Legion d’Honneur in 1996, retiring from his managing director role in 2001 to take up Manpower France’s non-executive chair.

According to French newspaper Les Echos, he played a major role in France’s 1972 law regulating temporary work.

Speaking to the paper, professional workers union Prism’s MD François Roux describes him as a “very good man” with “extraordinary charisma”.