Laurent de la CLERGERIE

About Laurent de la CLERGERIE

Laurent de la Clergerie is the founder and long-time leader of LDLC, now Groupe LDLC, one of France’s best-known e-commerce players in IT and consumer technology. Trained as an engineer in economics and electronics, he launched the LDLC adventure in 1996 in Lyon, at a time when the internet was still an emerging business frontier for most entrepreneurs. His initial idea was straightforward but ambitious: to make computer components, assembled PCs, and high-tech products more accessible through online retail. LDLC.com was founded in 1997 and quickly became a pioneer of French e-commerce. Over time, Laurent de la Clergerie guided the company’s evolution from a single online retailer into a diversified, listed group with a broader omnichannel model. Under his leadership, LDLC expanded beyond PC components into a wider high-tech ecosystem, combining online sales, physical stores, and specialized services. The group also grew through multiple brands and business lines, strengthening its position as a leading technology retail platform in France. He is also known for a management style that emphasizes innovation in workplace organization. Laurent de la Clergerie has gained attention for his thinking on productivity, employee well-being, and more flexible forms of company organization, including his advocacy of a shorter workweek in certain contexts. He has also supported strategic initiatives such as L’école LDLC, reflecting a broader interest in education, skills development, and the transfer of knowledge in digital and technology-related professions. As an executive, he stands out for combining entrepreneurial intuition, operational discipline, and long-term strategic vision. His career reflects the path of a founder who identified the potential of online commerce early, built a strong brand, and then evolved that business into a recognized market leader with a distinctive corporate culture and a broader social and educational footprint.