Born in Rennes, Jean-Michel Savéant graduated in 1958 and obtained his PhD in 1966 at the École normale supérieure. In 1971 he moved to Paris Diderot University where he founded the Laboratoire d'Électrochimie Moléculaire. He was  an emeritus professor of electrochemistry in this university as well as an emeritus CNRS Research Director. He was the author of over 500 publications.