Jean-Michel Aulas, the former president of the Lyon-based football outfit Olympique Lyonnais, officially announced his candidacy on Thursday to become mayor of the city in a letter sent to potential voters.
"It is to you, the people of Lyon, that I present my candidacy to become mayor of our city," said the 76-year-old, who oversaw the Ligue 1 football club's hegemony at the turn of the century.
"The decision to run (...) is a total commitment," he wrote.
In the letter sent out to around 100,000 homes, Aulas said he had named his movement "Coeur Lyonnais" (Heart of Lyon) and added: "My candidacy will not be that of a party, but that of someone from Lyon who is committed to his city."
The municipal election is due in March. Aulas will face the current Green Party mayor Grégory Doucet, who is seeking a second term.
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Aulas was endorsed on Tuesday by France's Republicans party soon after gaining the backing of local politician Laurent Wauquiez.
He also obtained the support of Renaissance leader Gabriel Attal, the Horizons party of the former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe as well as the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI).
"I want Lyon to become a safe city again, where people can go out at night without fear. A green city, guided by common sense, without dogmatism. A city that shines in France and around the world, proud of its culture, its history and its residents."
Aulas, who made his fortune in management and accounting software packages, took over as president of OL in 1987 at the age of 38 when the club was in Ligue 2.
Under coach Raymond Domenech, the side gained promotion to Ligue 1 in 1989. But the club had to wait more than a decade for its first piece of silverware with Aulas.
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Unreserved dedication
However, that 2001 Coupe de la Ligue trophy was followed by a period of sustained excellence.
Between 2002 and 2008, Lyon won seven straight Ligue 1 crowns, they also claimed the French Super Cup six times during that period.
The women’s team has also enjoyed even more success with a record 15 top flight titles and nine Coupe de France victories.
They have also notched up a record eight Champions League crowns since the inception of competition in 2001 as the Uefa Women’s Cup.
Aulas is scheduled to launch his campaign on Friday at a public meeting at a start-up incubator in the city's Confluence district.
