François de Larrard is a graduate of École Polytechnique and completed his doctorate at the École nationale des ponts et chaussées, Paris. He also holds a research management certification (HDR).

His career started at Laboratoire central des ponts et chaussées (LCPC now IFSTTAR) in Paris, where he conducted research in the field of high-performance concrete applied in the bridge and nuclear civil engineering areas. His interest for concrete material rheology and optimization led him to hold a guest research position at the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) in Washington DC, where he spent a sabbatical year.

He then carried out numerous projects in the field of mixing, pavement and sustainability at LCPC, and then continued research at the scientific directorate Institut français des sciences et technologies des transports, de l’aménagement et des réseaux (IFSTTAR).

He joined Holcim in 2011, and contributed to the R&D strategy, to provide scientific support to projects and to ensure a good connection between the Holcim R&D and the international academic world.

In his various positions, François de Larrard produced about 300 publications and reports, wrote two books, co-authored four others books, six patents, four software for concrete mix-design and three laboratory testing devices. He created three rigid pavement technologies, supervised around twenty PhD theses, and was involved in several large civil engineering projects as Civaux nuclear power plant or Grand viaduc de Millau.

He was the recipient of various distinctions, including the “Robert l’Hermite” medal from the International Union of Laboratories & Experts in Construction Materials, Systems & Structures (RILEM).