Bernard de Nonancourt

Bernard de Nonancourt (January 15, 1920 – October 29, 2010) was a French businessman, member of the French Resistance and president of the Laurent-Perrier champagne house for more than fifty years. Under de Nonancourt' s leadership, Laurent-Perrier expanded to become the world's third largest seller of champagne by 2005.

De Nonancourt's mother, Marie-Louise Lanson de Nonancourt, purchased the Tours-sur-Marne-based champagne maker that would become Laurent-Perrier in 1938.

Bernard de Nonancourt and his older brother, Maurice, both joined the French Resistance following the German invasion of France.

He remained the head of Laurent-Perrier for more than fifty years. He developed a reputation as an innovator while introducing new products to the Laurent-Perrier product lines. In 1953, de Nonancourt conceived the idea of a new cuvée called, which was introduced in 1960 as Grand Siècle. De Nonancourt also oversaw the launch of Laurent-Perrier Brut Rosé in 1968. The introduction of the Brut Rosé pink champagne in specially shaped bottles proved to be hit with consumers and a financial success for Laurent-Perrier.

The Laurent-Perrier house prospered under Bernard de Nonancourt, becoming one of the largest champagne producers in the world. Sales of Laurent-Perrier Group champagne increased one "hundredfold" between 1950 and 2000. During de Nonancourt's tenure, Laurent-Perrier rose from the one hundredth largest champagne producer to the world's third largest champagne house by 2005. De Nonancourt retired in 2005, assuming the role of honorary chairman and member of supervisory board within Laurent-Perrier.

He died on the evening of October 29, 2010, at the age of 90. De Nonancourt was survived by his wife, Claude Merand, and four children. His funeral was held at the Saint Remi Basilica in Reims, France, on November 5, 2010.

His two daughters, Alexandra who joined the house in 1987, and Stéphanie, who joined in 1995, were members of the Laurent-Perrier Management board of directors at the time of their father's death. They will become the heads of Laurent-Perrier.