Combes' direct approach stands to win him support in Paris

In his more than 20 years working in the telecoms industry, Michel Combes has developed a reputation as a no-frills, cost-cutting executive.

During his four years as chief executive of Vodafone Europe, he slashed £2bn of costs. When he arrived at Alcatel-Lucent in 2013, he announced a plan to reduce fixed costs by €1bn, sell €1bn of assets and cut 10,000 jobs - 590 so far from France. He described the plan as Alcatel-Lucent's "last chance".

Yet the direct approach by the 52-year-old, who was born on the western fringes of Paris and went to the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique, appears to have won him political capital with France's Socialist government.

"I have always been extremely open with the French government on where I stand, what the options were and what would be good for the company and for France and Europe as a whole," he said of the deal with Nokia.

"I came naturally to the conclusion that this combination was the best way forward. The government came to the same conclusion as well, on their own and discussing with me and with the company. And so we didn't trigger any major issues."

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