[1] Cointreau struck on his own in 1984, buying Le Cordon Bleu from Madame Elisabeth Brassart, an old family friend.
He was also involved in the holding company that was created to manage the family owned assets of Rémy Martin and Cointreau.
[3] Among other activities within the food and wine world, Cointreau helped to create the Science and Food Culture Foundation within the Académie des Sciences, and the Institute des Hautes Etudes du Goût (HEG) in conjunction with Reims University.
[4] He also is CEO of Pierre Deux, a retail business focusing on French country decor and furnishings which he acquired in 1993;[5] his wife, Hedwidge Cointreau de Bouteville, runs the Pierre Deux stores of which there are 20 based around France, the United States and Japan.
[6] In 2008, Cointreau was awarded the Légion d’Honneur from the Foundation Alliance francaise for his contributions and accomplishments as head of Le Cordon Bleu and "for his unique educational concept.