Groupe Beneteau CEO steps down
Jérôme de Metz, who for the last three years has carried out the combined role at Groupe Beneteau of chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer, is retiring.
Serving as chairman and CEO of Groupe Beneteau since June 2019, the company said that in a context marked by significant adversity (health crisis, unprecedented supply chain pressures, cyberattack, etc.), de Metz has delivered exceptionally intense work and major successes, particularly with the rollout of the new strategic plan.
de Metz’s departure also coincides with Jean-Paul Chapeleau, current deputy CEO, industrial operations and development, reaching the age limit set by the bylaws.
Bruno Thivoyon (pictured left) will be appointed group chief executive officer and Gianguido Girotti will undertake the role of group deputy CEO and chief executive officer of the Boat Division.
Chapeleau will continue working with the group as an advisor to the executive leadership team.
Bruno Thivoyon, 47, is currently deputy CEO – finance, legal and IT systems. Gianguido Girotti, 44, is deputy CEO – brand and product strategy, Boat Division.
de Metz says: “It has been a great honor to have led the group. I would like to thank the shareholders and the board, who have placed their trust in me, as well as our teams, who I have grown deeply attached to, and our many partners from across Groupe Beneteau’s ecosystem. Together, we can feel a certain satisfaction at having drawn up and implemented the Let’s Go Beyond! plan, in addition to managing various major operational challenges that have been concentrated over a short period of time. Our results can clearly be seen, and 2022, despite the complex international situation and the continued supply chain crisis, will be an even better year than 2021. I am very pleased to be able to hand over to Bruno Thivoyon and Gianguido Girotti. They have already been involved in driving the group’s recent transformation, they get on together perfectly, and they will be able to take the group forward to build on its success.”
Groupe Beneteau confirms that the appointment of this executive leadership team will be accompanied by a return to a structure with separate positions for the chairman and the CEO, in line with the approach applied by the group until 2019.
The chairman of the board will be Yves Lyon-Caen, a director of the group, which he chaired from 2005 to 2019. Louis-Claude Roux will continue as vice-chairman of the board.
The board has also appointed Marie-Hélène Dick as a director, replacing de Metz. Dick is chairman of the board of directors of Virbac and will join the board as an independent director.
“I am honored to be joining Groupe Beneteau’s Board of Directors. I hope to be able to contribute to the development of this outstanding group, which has continued to be family-owned, in the boat sector, which I particularly appreciate, with a view to ensuring its sustainable success over the coming years”, declared Marie Hélène Dick.
