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Founders

Who Founded Peugeot?

Armand Peugeot · Founded 1810 · HQ today: Poissy, France

Who founded Peugeot?

Peugeot was founded by Armand Peugeot in 1810. It is now led by Alain Favey.

Founders
Armand Peugeot
Founded
1810
Headquarters
Poissy, France
Number of founders
1
Current CEO
Alain Favey (since 2025)
Where was Peugeot founded?
Peugeot was founded in Sochaux, Doubs, France in 1810.
When was Peugeot founded?
Peugeot was founded in 1810.
Who started Peugeot?
Peugeot was founded by Armand Peugeot.
How old is Peugeot?
Peugeot is 216 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

In 1810 brothers Jean-Pierre and Jean-Frédéric Peugeot turned a family mill in eastern France into a steel works. The business adopted its lion trademark in 1858 for saw blades. Armand Peugeot, from a later generation, saw the potential of motor vehicles, showed a steam tricycle in 1889, used Daimler-licensed petrol engines from 1890 and founded the Société des Automobiles Peugeot in 1896.

Background

Armand Peugeot studied at the École Centrale in Paris and spent time in Leeds, England, learning about industrial production before joining the family business in Valentigney and Beaulieu.

Role at Peugeot

Armand Peugeot (1849-1915) was the member of the Peugeot industrial family who took the business into motor vehicles. He showed a steam tricycle built with Léon Serpollet at the 1889 Paris Exposition, switched to Daimler-licensed petrol engines in 1890, and in 1896 founded the Société des Automobiles Peugeot as a company separate from the family hardware and bicycle firm.

Education: École Centrale Paris.

Peugeot was born on February 18, 1849 and died on February 4, 1915. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1999. Armand Peugeot was born in 1849.

Peugeot: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Alain Favey

Chief Executive Officer, Peugeot

2025 – Present

Former Europcar Mobility Group CEO; succeeded Linda Jackson on February 3, 2025.

Linda Jackson

Global Chief Executive Officer, Peugeot

2021 – 2025

The Peugeot 208 was Europe's best-selling car in 2022 during her tenure.

Jean-Philippe Imparato

Chief Executive Officer, Peugeot

2016 – 2021

He launched the 3008 and 208 generations and their electric versions. He moved to Alfa Romeo in 2021 and Linda Jackson succeeded him.

Maxime Picat

Chief Executive Officer, Peugeot

2012 – 2016

He moved the brand upmarket with the 308 and 2008. Jean-Philippe Imparato succeeded him in 2016.

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Who Founded Peugeot? FAQ

Who founded Peugeot and what were its origins before manufacturing automobiles?

The Peugeot enterprise was founded in 1810 in Hérimoncourt and Montbéliard, France, by brothers Jean-Pierre Peugeot II and Jean-Frédéric Peugeot, who converted a grain mill into a steel foundry producing saw blades, corset stays, clock springs, and coffee grinders.

Who was Armand Peugeot and when did he build the first Peugeot automobile?

Armand Peugeot, grandson of Jean-Pierre Peugeot, was an engineer who established the automotive business. In 1889, he unveiled Peugeot's first vehicle, a steam-powered three-wheeler developed with Léon Serpollet, followed in 1890 by Peugeot's first gasoline-powered four-wheeler using a Daimler-licensed engine.

When was the automotive company 'Société des Automobiles Peugeot' officially incorporated?

In 1896, Armand Peugeot broke away from the family's general manufacturing business (Les Fils de Peugeot Frères) to found 'Société des Automobiles Peugeot' in Audincourt, dedicating his life exclusively to motor vehicle manufacturing.

What famous consumer products did the Peugeot family manufacture before cars?

Before and alongside automobiles, Peugeot became world-famous for manufacturing precision steel tools, bicycles (Peugeot Cycles launched in 1882), sewing machines, and well-known tabletop pepper and salt mills (Peugeot Saveurs, which remains a global culinary standard today).

Who was Émile Peugeot and what was the origin of the Lion trademark in 1858?

In 1858, Émile Peugeot officially registered the Lion emblem for the company's saw blades. The lion was chosen because its sharp teeth symbolized the saw's cutting performance, its flexible spine symbolized blade elasticity, and its speed symbolized swift sawing.

What was the landmark Peugeot Type 3 built by Armand Peugeot in 1891?

The Peugeot Type 3, introduced in 1891, was one of the first petrol cars built in series. It accompanied the 1891 Paris-Brest-Paris cycle race over about 2,000 km, helping prove that the motor car was reliable.

How did the Peugeot family reunify its manufacturing and automotive businesses in 1910?

In 1910, following years of separate operations, Armand Peugeot merged his automobile company with his cousins' business (Les Fils de Peugeot Frères) to form 'Société Anonyme des Automobiles et Cycles Peugeot', consolidating all factories under unified family governance.

What enduring industrial legacy was established by the Peugeot founders in Sochaux?

In 1912, the Peugeot family established the large industrial manufacturing complex in Sochaux, France. It grew into one of the largest and oldest automotive manufacturing facilities in Europe, producing tens of millions of vehicles over more than a century.

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