André Michelin

Graduating from the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in Paris, André worked in the government Ministry of Public Works before joining his brother Édouard in 1889 to direct the commercial, advertising, and marketing strategies of Michelin & Cie.

In 1898, inspired by a stack of tires resembling a man, André created Bibendum ('Nunc est bibendum - Le pneu Michelin boit l'obstacle'). In 1900, he gave motorists free copies of the first Michelin Guide to promote automobile travel, and in 1910 introduced the 1:200,000 yellow Michelin road maps with roadside milestone numbering.