At the Heart of Eurozone Business

Although it has been clear for quite some time that Europe has some of the most developed networks of executives interlinking big corporations, a detailed depiction of this phenomena had however never been done. Resorting to different quantitative methods, this article aims to do just that through a study of the small population of men and women at the core of European business. First, network analysis is used to identify the individuals through whom relations between big European companies are created. The social properties of this collective are then analyzed, followed by an examination of the professional trajectories of its members. Lastly, a sequential analysis is used in order to identify whether the directors of different sectors have specific profiles. In doing so, this article reveals the clear domination finance-oriented profiles among the men and women who lead the business milieu of the Eurozone.