De Beers Group CEO is Philippe Mellier (Update 3)
May 16, 11
As disclosed by IDEX Online last week, Mellier does not have a mining, diamonds or luxury sector experience. His appointment is therefore viewed as an interest by the company in a strong and experienced manager, familiar with large operations extending around the world. This may have also made him a good choice in the eyes of Nicky Oppenheimer's partners, Anglo American and the government of Botswana. “This appointment signals our determination to lead in a rapidly changing world. In Philippe we have found a proven leader with a reputation for delivering results while shaping businesses for the long-term,” Oppenheimer said. “With several large upstream projects underway and the rapid emergence of major downstream markets, De Beers stands on the cusp of an exciting new period of growth. To seize this moment, we were determined to find a leader with a world class track record of delivering large projects, understanding the needs of key stakeholders including government partners and clients, and an instinct for shifting consumer patterns,” he added. Born in 1955, Mellier was Chairman and CEO of Renault Trucks from 2000 and a member of the Volvo Group Executive Committee, according his bio on Alstom’s website. From 1999 to 2000, he was Senior Vice President, Market Area Europe at Renault SA. Prior to that, he had a long career at Ford Motor Company, including senior management responsibilities in several countries. He became President of ALSTOM's Transport Sector on May 1, 2003 and Executive Vice President, ALSTOM, in October 2004. Alstom is a global specialist in energy and transport infrastructure. In fiscal year 2001/02, Alstom had annual sales in excess of €23 billion. Alstom Transport develops and markets complete range of systems, equipment and services in the railway sector, managing entire transport systems. The company is a leading firm in the high and very high speed train sector. In fiscal 2010/11, Alstom Transport registered large orders for locomotives in Russia and Kazakhstan, regional trains in France and Sweden, very high speed trains in Morocco, metros in Canada, Santo Domingo, Panama, India and Brazil as well as tramways in France and Tunisia. Maintenance contracts for mainlines fleets were registered in the USA, as well as a number of signaling contracts in Europe and China. Alstom Transport’s sales slightly declined at €5.6 billon (compared to €5.8 billion during fiscal year 2009/2010), while its operating margin remained globally stable around 7%. Alstom Transport is present in over 60 countries and employs some 27,000 people. (Last updated May 15, 2011, 4:52 am)
Philippe Mellier