Hollywood actress Salma Hayek's husband Francois-Henri Pinault is hit by an egg thrown by a protester at his firm's annual meeting in Paris.

Riot police had to be called to the 46-year-old billionaire's rescue for the second time in weeks.

The Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga boss has pledged to slash jobs and spending because of the recession. Furious workers chanted obscene slogans and called for his resignation, saying he was a “filthy conman”.

Last month Mr Pinault, chief executive officer of luxury brands firm PPR, was trapped in a taxi by employees protesting about 1,200 job cuts at two of his stores.

The tycoon was freed when riot police used batons and shields to disperse the workers.

This time, police were called to the Pleyel Hall in the French capital yesterday, where about 200 workers had massed at the front door before the agm.

They were particularly angry that Mr Pinault had just returned from a delayed honeymoon in the Seychelles with his film star wife. “He's been sunning himself in absolute luxury while our futures are all on the line,” said one.

At the meeting Mr Pinault vowed to cut his firm's £5 billion plus debt by getting rid of almost 2,000 jobs. PPR employs 80,000 workers in 75 countries.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has pledged to prevent attacks on chief executives, which have increased dramatically across France as the recession deepens.

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