It is with an infinite sadness that we learn of the death of Mr. Serge Dassault, Chairman and CEO of Groupe Dassault, and the former Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, the group announcement in a statement.

Dassault Aviation’s management, engineers, technicians, employees and workers all send their deepest and most sincere condolences to Mrs. Dassault, her children and grandchildren, the statement added.

Serge Dassault was 93 when he passed away on Monday. The industrialist and media magnate was one of France’s richest men, with a fortune estimated by Forbes at about $26 billion.

In a short statement, the Dassault family announced that Serge Dassault “died at his office on the Champs Élysées, following a heart attack.”

In an article published on its website, Le Figaro described him as “the head of one of the wealthiest dynasties in France and one of the most influential and powerful family holdings.”

The diversified group he inherited from his father - Marcel Dassault - is a world leader in aviation, making Falcon private jets as well as the Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter aircraft.

It owns Dassault Systèmes, which provides 3D computer-aided design software for industry, wine estates, an auction house and several very valuable works of art.

Serge Dassault also had a political career, serving as a conservative senator and mayor.

With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets and military drones.

In 2017, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €4.8 billion. The company has 11,400 employees.