Sweeping leadership changes will soon take effect at Groupe Auchan, the world’s 11th largest retailer.
Christophe Dubrulle, who joined Auchan in 1965 and has been chairman of the Group’s Executive Board since 1996, has decided to retire. To ensure his succession and to continue taking up the challenges of development while preserving the company’s unique culture, the Group’s governance structure will change from July 1, 2010, subject to approval by the upcoming shareholders’ meeting of June 30.
Philippe Baroukh, 52, currently general manager of Auchan France, will replace Dubrulle at the helm of the Group’s hypermarkets and has been appointed general manager of this division.
The company’s organisation by lines of business will be reinforced through replacement of the Executive Board by an Executive Committee, in which will be represented the Group’s four core businesses – Hypermarkets, Supermarkets, Banque Accord, and Immochan – as well as the key functions – human resources, finance, and management control.
Baroukh will be replaced as general manager of Auchan France by Vincent Mignot, 38, currently director of Operations, Northern region, under the chairmanship of Arnaud Mulliez, who is also a member of the Group’s Supervisory Board.
At the legal level, the Group’s new organisation leads to the transformation of the Groupe Auchan SA from a corporation governed by an Executive Board and a supervisory board to a corporation governed by a Board of Directors.
Vianney Mulliez, currently chairman of the Supervisory Board, will hence become chairman of the Board of Directors and chairman of the Group’s Executive Committee.
Announcing these changes to the Group’s top managers, Vianney Mulliez thanked Christophe Dubrulle for the immense talent he demonstrated in leading Groupe Auchan’s growth since 1993 and making it the world’s 11th largest retailer. "The force of his vision, his convictions on the company’s vocation as a retailer, the quality of his management, and his great proximity with the management teams have been instrumental to the development of the men and women of Auchan, dedicated to satisfying our 1.7 billion customers,” he said.
— IndiaRetailing Bureau
