Jean-Claude Sensemat

Jean-Claude Sensemat, (born 1951) is a businessman in France. Sensemat was born in Fleurance in the Gers, and from 1970 to 2000, he founded and directed an import/export group of hand and power tool companies that bears his name. The Groupe Sensemat became the largest private employer of the Gers with over 500 collaborators in 1999 and sales totaling 800 million French francs (1 220 M Euros).

The company’s growth is owed to the globalization of trade. As early as 1975, import-export operations were organized with India, Red China, Romania, Albania and other countries of the Eastern bloc, sometimes using barter and compensation. The Groupe Sensemat became a privileged supplier of the European major hypermarket retailers. Through his tool-manufacturing group, he then acquired many brownfields in the department of the Gers (the Grundig Factory, the Seita buildings, etc.).

As a major player in the department’s economic life, he was a counselor with the Gers’ Bank of France for 6 years. He was Vice President of the Gers’ Employers' Union in 1989, and he founded the Gers’ UNICEF committee in 1988. He also founded a local newspaper: "La Gascogne".

In 1990, he purchased LIP, the renowned watchmaking company that was then in difficulty, and relaunched it. Then, in 1992 he acquired other brands: Achille Zavatta, Teppaz, Luis Ocana. In 2000, his strongly coveted hand and power tool group faced problems leading to the lifetime dismissal of a court administrator who was found guilty and imprisoned. The Sensemat Group disappeared.

In 2002, he transferred the LIP brand international license to the Gersoise company MGH of Lectoure. That same year, he was named Honorary Consul of the Republic of Albania for thirty-three French departments. He conducted his business from his company based in Toulouse.

In 2007, he immigrated to Canada with his family. He was received by the Canadian government as a Business Immigrant (Investor). It was in Montreal that he founded Gestion Geneen Inc., a business and wealth management company.

His Gersoise origins, his professional successes and vexations are the inspiration for the writing of his four works.

Publications

* La Patronade, éditions Olivier Orban, 1988.
* Un Moment de Gascogne, éditions La Gascogne, 1997.
* Le Délit d'Entreprendre, éditions de la Mezzanine, 2004.
* Comment j'ai sauvé LIP, éditions Entreprendre Robert Lafont, 2005.