Editing Orange Group (section)

=== Creation of France Télécom (1988–1997) ===
Until 1988, France Télécom was known as the ''direction générale des Télécommunications'', a division of the [[Postes, télégraphes et téléphones (France)|Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications]]. It became autonomous in 1990. This was in response to a European directive, aimed at making competition mandatory in public services from 1 January 1998. The 2 July 1990 Bill changed France Télécom into an operator of public law, with Marcel Roulet as the first Chairman. Since then, the company has had a separate body corporate from the State and acquired financial autonomy. It was privatised by [[Lionel Jospin]]'s [[Plural Left]] government starting on 1 January 1998. The [[Cabinet of France|French government]], both directly and through its [[holding company]] [[Entreprise de recherches et d'activités pétrolières|ERAP]], continues to hold a stake of almost 27% in the company. In addition, the French government has a role in naming the CEO.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orange.com/en/finance/stock-dividend-and-capital|title=Shareholding structure|publisher=France Telecom|access-date=6 April 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201093852/http://www.orange.com/en/finance/stock-dividend-and-capital|archive-date=1 February 2013}}</ref>
In September 1995, [[Michel Bon]] was appointed to run France Télécom Group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040722005034/en/Esmertec-Welcomes-Michel-Bon-CEO-Chairman-France |title=Esmertec Welcomes Michel Bon, Former CEO and Chairman of France Telecom, to its Board|access-date=11 January 2018}}</ref>