So far, I participated to a dozen of boards, detailed below, and touching upon my value added:
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Bringing experience gained in different settings
- Representing a powerful group (Capgemini) in front of powerful banking groups, or in front one of main competitor
- Start up and running 2 NGOs
- Representing an independent view for “peace keeping” purposes (among shareholders)
- Directorships in start-ups
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Building on the ability to manage complex situations
- As Chairman of the Audit and Risk committee of ever-cash-poor NGOs, suggested to a powerful chairman actions and mitigation measures
- Steering boards coping with shareholders’ disagreements and conflicts between banks, between competitors or with minority shareholders
- Managing the conflict of interests between the company , the clients and the providers.
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Using a mix of skills
- A strategic mind with deep understanding of technology
- A balance between long term goals and short term operational imperatives
- A practical know how in global environments having managed companies on three continents and directly in 10 countries.
Remaining perceived as positive and unbiased, while building and defending substantiated positions.
Below is the nearly exhaustive list of the boards I participated to:
2016- on going HRG Group (part of Altavia Group) Non Executive Chairman (UK)
HRG is an advertising company, dedicated to store activation marketing campaigns, purchased in 2014 by Altavia. The Altavia’s chairman asked me to chair the company in order to allow a peaceful relationship with the British managers, also minority shareholders. The “peace mission” being successful, we are now in the growth and further acquisition stage.
2016- ongoing zeb Rolfes Scheirenbeck Associates (Germany, UK)
Director of the this consulting firm dedicated to Financial services institution. The London ltd company is a subsidiary of the mother company established in Germany.
1999 – 2019 Positive Planet http://positiveplanet.ngo/en/ (France)
Board member from its creation, for 20 years, of this NGO led by Jacques Attali a prolific author and a special advisor on international relationships for multiple French presidents and in other countries. We went through the stage of growth, crisis, merger, de-merger, consolidation, etc. I was the chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee for the board of directors.
2014-2019 Fondation Positive Planet (France)
I was also board member of this “sister” NGO which was created to allow tax benefit for some benefactors. This is under the umbrella of Fondation de France.
2011- 2016 Ares & Co Strategy Consulting (France, UK, Luxembourg) Chairman
Ares& co was a strategy consulting boutique dedicated to Financial Services clients. The ltd company is a subsidiary of the French entity. We developed a somewhat successful activity with some key clients like Advent International, the CityUK, Covea UK, HSBC UK and France. It was a creation from scratch. Discrepancies on the investment to be made led to a split in the partnership, and the cessation of the company in the UK.
2004-2008 Answork (France)
Answork was a joint venture between Société Générale, Credit Agricole, BNP Paribas and Capgemini at 25% each. The CEO were representing the companies. I stepped in formally for the CG CEO. This marketplace was to provide a full suite of spend management software and services to optimize transaction efficiency between buyers and sellers for non-strategic goods. The banks were the first users and Capgemini provided the consulting and System integration skills. It was sold to Perfect Commerce, a US based marketplace.
1999-2006: APIS-CA (France)
APIS-CA was a joint venture between regional banks from the Credit Agricole Group and the Capgemini Group to provide the software for the banking operations (core banking package and maintenance). I was representing the Capgemini Group and its 49% share of the equity. Capgemini was the operator, and, the CA banks were the users. We grew from 7 regional banks to 17 served (out of 39). Then the company was sold to form a single platform company for the CA Group.
2003-2006 Cyber-comm (France)
Cyber-comm was a company formed by all the French banks and 2 system integrators (Capgemini and Atos) to provide debit and credit card internet security features, for individual and corporate users. It was the merger of 2 companies having the same purpose.
I was representing Capgemini as a shareholder but also as the provider. The company was put in runoff after a sale to 2 major banks. The asset were stripped, the technology licensed to 2 banks.
Referrals from the Chairmen or Shareholders are available upon request