Gilles Benoist has a Law degree and is a graduate of Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and Ecole Nationale d’Administration (“Simone Weil” class of 1974).

He began his career with the French Interior Ministry, first as director of the office of the Prefect of the Oise Department (1974) and then as Secretary General of the Ariège Department (1976).

In 1978, he became Principal Private Secretary to the Director General of Local Authorities at the Ministry of the Interior and, ranked as a senior civil servant, he became the Principal Private Secretary to the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Budget in June 1981.

In 1983, he was appointed Public Auditor with the French Court of State Auditors (Cour des Comptes), where he successively served as rapporteur on the Budget and Finance Disciplinary Court and rapporteur to the MODAC governmental organization project.

In 1987, he was seconded to Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations as advisor to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, then became a member of the Executive Board and Corporate Secretary of Crédit Local de France. Promoted Senior Public Auditor at the Court of State Auditors in 1989, he was appointed Director of central services, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations in 1991, a member of the Executive Committee in 1993 and Group Corporate Secretary and Director of Human Resources of the Caisse des Dépôts Group in 1995.

He was promoted to Chief Advisor to the Court of State Auditors in 1996.

President of the CNP Assurances Executive Board since 9 July 1998, he is now Chief Executive Officer of CNP Assurances, member of the board of directors since 10 july 2007 . He is a Officier in the Legion of Honour.