Jean-Noel Thorel

Jean-Noël Thorel (born 1947) is a French entrepreneur, pharmacist-biologist, and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of NAOS, a major French skincare company that owns world-renowned brands such as Bioderma. He is credited with inventing micellar water technology. He also founded the Jean-Noël Thorel Foundation, which is part of the NAOS shareholder foundation, focusing on human potential and ecobiology.

Thorel began recording live tournament results in 2008. Unlike most players at the highest stakes who play professionally, Thorel is technically an amateur, having built his wealth in the pharmaceutical industry before becoming a fixture in the global Super High Roller circuit. His early cashes include results at WPT events in Paris and Las Vegas, such as a 14th-place finish in the 2011 WPT Grand Prix de Paris (€33,330) and a 37th-place finish in the 2012 WPT Championship at Bellagio ($21,956). He also cashed in WSOP Europe events starting in 2017, with a small cash in The Colossus and later a 35th place in a €2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha event in 2019 ($3,594).

Thorel is currently the #1 ranked player on France's All-Time Money List, having surpassed Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier. He was the first French player to cross the $20 million mark in live tournament winnings; his lifetime earnings now exceed $30 million.

His largest cash came in December 2025, when he finished runner-up to Bernhard Binder in the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event for $6,000,000. Other career highlights include:

• 2024 Triton Poker Series Jeju – $100,000 Main Event: 2nd place for $2,875,000
• 2023 Triton Poker Series London – $125,000 Main Event: 2nd place for $2,830,000
• 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) – $250,000 Super High Roller: 2nd place for $2,137,100
• 2019 World Series of Poker Europe – €100,000 Diamond High Roller: 2nd place for $1,493,347
• 2024 EPT Barcelona – €30,000 Super High Roller Warm Up: 1st place for €512,370
• 2026 Triton Poker Series Montenegro – $150,000 NLH 10th Anniversary Special: 3rd place for $1,390,000
• 2026 Triton Poker Series Montenegro – $40,000 NLH Mystery Bounty: 6th place for $129,000
• 2026 PokerStars EPT Paris – €100,000 EPT Super High Roller: 4th place for €271,000
• 2025 WSOP Paradise – $100,000 Triton Main Event: 8th place for $597,000
• 2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona – €20,000 No-Limit Hold'em: 5th place for €102,900
• 2024 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo – €100,000 EPT Super High Roller: 6th place for €426,500

Thorel has cashed 11 times on the Triton Poker Series and recorded numerous deep runs in EPT and WSOP events. Notable Triton results also include a 4th place in the 2026 Jeju $25,000 event ($510,000) and a 15th place in the 2025 Jeju $50,000 7-Handed event ($155,000). In WSOP events, his total earnings exceed $8 million across 6 cashes, with 3 final tables.

Thorel is famous for his highly creative, aggressive, and often unpredictable playing style. He frequently makes large preflop raises and applies relentless postflop pressure, forcing opponents into difficult decisions. His game blends mathematical calculation with psychological intuition, and he is not afraid to take significant risks. Despite his aggressive tendencies, he demonstrates strong reading abilities and adapts his play based on position and stack depth. Nicknamed "The Frenchman" at the tables, he is one of the most respected recreational players in the world.

In recent years, Thorel has maintained a high level of activity on the Super High Roller circuit. In 2025, he had multiple deep runs at WSOP Paradise, including the $6 million runner-up finish and an 8th place in the $100,000 Triton Main Event ($597,000). He also cashed in the 2025 EPT Barcelona €20,000 event for €102,900. In early 2026, he continued his strong form with a 3rd place in the Triton Montenegro $150,000 special event and a 4th place in the EPT Paris €100,000 Super High Roller. His consistency in the highest buy-in events cements his status as a formidable opponent.

Beyond poker, Thorel is deeply involved in philanthropy through the Jean-Noël Thorel Foundation. His success as an amateur in the highest-stakes tournaments has inspired many and cemented his place as a legend in the poker world. He remains a regular fixture at elite events, proving that passion and skill can compete with the best professionals.

Thorel has accumulated over $8.17 million in career WSOP earnings across six cashes, with three final tables. His best WSOP finish came in December 2025 when he placed second in the $25,000 Super Main Event at WSOP Paradise for $6,000,000. He also finished second in the €100,000 Diamond High Roller at WSOP Europe in 2019 for €1,342,459. Other notable WSOP results include an 8th place in the $100,000 Triton Main Event at WSOP Paradise 2025 ($597,000), 11th in the €25,500 Super High Roller at WSOP Europe 2018 (€59,176), and cashes in the €2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha and €550 Colossus in 2019 and 2017 respectively.

As of early 2025, Thorel is ranked #1 on the France All-Time Money List and has held a career-best rank of #51 globally on the All-Time Money List. His current global rank fluctuates around 58th–60th. He is also ranked 299th on the Global Poker Index (GPI). He was the first French player to surpass $20 million in live tournament earnings, a milestone he achieved in 2024.

Thorel has recorded multiple deep runs in Triton events, including a 4th place in the 2026 Jeju $25,000 event ($510,000), a 2nd place in the 2024 Jeju $100,000 Main Event ($2,875,000), a 24th place in the 2025 Jeju $100,000 Main Event ($236,000), a 15th place in the 2025 Jeju $50,000 7-Handed event ($155,000), and a 19th place in the 2024 Montenegro $125,000 Main Event ($256,000). He also cashed in the 2023 London $25,000 GGMillion$ Live event (12th, $66,800). These results contribute to his reputation as a consistent threat in the Triton series.