Georges Frederic Doriot (September 1899 – June 1987) was one of the first American
venture capitalists. An émigré from
France, Doriot became director of the
U.S. Army's Military Planning Division,
Quartermaster General, during
World War II, eventually being promoted to
brigadier general. In 1946, he founded
American Research and Development Corporation, the world's first publicly owned venture capital firm, earning him the
sobriquet "father of venture capitalism". In 1957, he founded
INSEAD, the world's top global graduate business school with campuses in
Fontainebleau (
France),
Singapore and
Abu Dhabi.