Louis Empain

Louis was born in Brussels on 3 January 1908, the youngest son of Édouard Empain, by his mistress Jeanne Becker, a musician.

[1] Evacuated to Le Havre during the First World War, he spent several years of his childhood in France and England.

His father's dying wish was that he would become involved in running the family business, with its interests in tramways, electrification, chemicals and colonial trade.

[1] This led to a rupture with his brother, and in 1934 Louis established the Banque Belge pour l'Industrie (BBI) to promote his own position in the companies in which he had a stake.

[1] After a yachting accident in July 1936 he vowed to change his style of life, selling two castles, renouncing the title of baron, and heavily contributing to the establishment of a youth organisation, modelled on the Swiss Pro Juventute, with the aim of improving the health and education of the young, particularly through sport and outdoor activities, without regard to any distinctions of class, race or religion.