Xavier is a young French guy like anyone else when at 15 years old, he received his first computer and decided to look a little bit more into his Christmas gift.
2 years later, he creates one of the first Minitel, a French ancestor of Internet. Then, he develops the so-called system of the “Minitel Rose” (literally, Pink Minitel). At 24 years old he is now a millionaire.
With the arrival of the internet and his understanding of communication networks, he invests in one of the first Internet Providers, WorldNet. A few years later, he sells his shares and creates his own Internet provider service called Free. In 2002, he is the 1st French person to offer a “box” joining Internet, Phone and Television in one offer. He is also the 1st to offer unlimited plans for 30 euros per month and revolutionized the industry forcing the competition to lower their prices.
In 2012, he gets himself and Free onto the Mobile Communications market with the same concept. An offer that defies all competition. 2 plans at 2 and 20 euros with unlimited calls and texts and many gigs of data. In 2 months, more than 2 million people get a plan with Free Mobile. Once again, Niel is the reason for the competition to react and lower their prices and give better offers.
Since the arrival of the Internet, Niel has always been a few steps ahead of the competition and he is at the origin of one of the most significant advances in terms of Communication in France.
Parallel to that, he also invested a lot in numerous Start-up companies, creating by himself a huge Business incubator for new entrepreneurs.