François de Wendel (5 May 1874 – 13 January 1949) was a French industrialist and politician. He inherited the leadership of a major steel manufacturer in Lorraine at a time when it was part of Germany, and in Meurthe-et-Moselle in France to the west.He entered national politics just before World War I (1914–18), holding office first as a deputy and then as a senator until after the defeat of France in World War II (1939–45).His position as a deputy and also as head of the largest industrial enterprise in France inevitably led to accusations that he was manipulating policy in favor of his business empire.