The French specialist in canned vegetables and frozen Bonduelle announced on Tuesday the departure of its general director Guillaume Debrosse and the arrival of a new director “rich and with solid experience in the North American market”, where the group is experiencing difficulties. Publishing its 2022-2023 half-year results in March, Bonduelle said its business outside of Europe was suffering in particular from contract losses and an “agronomic crisis” in North America, resulting in a shortage of products and an increase in sales. purchase prices.
The group then announced a reorganization of its activities in the United States and, in particular, the transformation of its Florence factory into a warehouse. “For this new stage, the board of directors wishes to entrust the general direction of the group to a director with extensive experience in the North American market and consumer products”, indicates Bonduelle in his press release.
Guillaume Debrosse, Christophe Bonduelle’s cousin-in-law, was appointed by the latter in April 2018. Christophe Bonduelle, who represents the 6th generation of Bonduelle at the helm of the company created in 1853, was CEO at the time and is currently Chairman of the board. It is he who will assume the position on an interim basis “with the support of Guillaume Debrosse during this transition period”, specifies Bonduelle.
“The group needs a new lease on life”
The appointment of the successor to Guillaume Debrosse, whose departure was decided “by mutual agreement”, will be announced “in the coming weeks” to take office on June 1, it added. “The board of directors and I are convinced that given the demanding context in which the company operates, the group needs a new lease on life,” said Christophe Bonduelle, quoted in the text.
The future CEO “has great knowledge of the US market where he has held CEO positions for more than 20 years, within various groups in the agri-food sector,” he added, without naming the future CEO. Guillaume Debrosse, a graduate of Paris Dauphine University, began his career at L’Oréal and later worked in telecommunications, notably at Telefónica, where he was CFO of 02 in Singapore in the Asia Pacific region. He joined the Bonduelle group in 2007.
Source: BFM TV
