Emmanuel Macron has been a star student, a champion of France's tech startup movement, an investment banker and economy minister. But the man who will become France's youngest president has never held elected office. After a campaign based on promises to revive the country through pro-business and pro-European policies, the 39-year-old centrist independent defeated far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and her protectionist, anti-immigration party.

In his victory speech, Macron sweared to "rebuild relationship between Europe and people that make it". It won't be his 1st experience in the challenge of reforming France. He quit his job as a banker at Rothschild to become economic adviser of Socialist President Francois Hollande's, working for 2 years by Hollande's side at the presidential palace. Then as economy minister in Hollande's government from 2014-16, he promoted a bundle of measures, notably allowing more stores to open on Sundays and evenings and opening up regulated sectors of the economy.

Last year, Macron launched his own political movement, En Marche and quit the Socialist government. He promised to shake up the political outlook by appointing a government that includes new personalities from business and civil society. His next challenge will be to get parliamentary majority in an election next month to make major changes without any support from prevailing party.

In his political rallies, he encouraged supporters to wave both the French tricolor and the European Union flags. Macron had an unexpected test of his political skills following the 1st round of vote during what became known as "the battle of Whirlpool," when Le Pen upstaged him at a Whirlpool factory in Amiens that is threatened with closure.

Le Pen's surprise appearance put him on oppose and prompted him to meet with angry Whirlpool workers later the same day. He was hooted when he first arrived. But he stood his ground, patiently debating workers in often heated exchanges about how to stop French jobs from moving abroad.

In a country shaken by recent terror attacks, he sweared to boost the police, military and intelligence services and to put pressure on internet giants to better monitor zeal online. To improve Europe's security, he wants Europe to deploy some 5,000 European border guards to the external borders of the bloc's passport-free travel zone.

Macron moved to Paris for his last year of high school. Macron's wife never left him alone during rallies and during initial years also, she eventually moved to the French capital to join him and divorced. They married in 2007. Emmanuel Macron says he wants to formalize job of first lady, adding "She has her word to say in this." Following his victory speech in the courtyard of the Louvre, his wife appeared on stage by his side, with tears in her eyes.