He was part of the fifth generation of the family. Bruno Bonduelle died Friday at the age of 89, the eponymous group announced on Saturday. The one who also marked the economic world of northern France was CEO of Bonduelle from 1985 to 1994, before taking the head of the supervisory board, then becoming a member of the board of directors. His tenure was notably marked by the takeover of his competitor Cassegrain in 1989.
“Bruno Bonduelle was a key player in the transformation of the group, which he supported in its expansion in France (…) and internationally by expanding the business to Spain, Portugal and Central Europe”the company said in a statement.
great captain of industry
Elle “salutes the memory of a great captain of industry whose entrepreneurial spirit and audacity have enabled the economic and social development of many players in the Lille metropolis”.
With this death, it is the sixth generation of the family – already well established at the helm – which is placed in the spotlight. Christophe Bonduelle, nephew of Bruno, is at the head of the board of directors while the managing director, Guillaume Debrosse, is a cousin by marriage, appointed in 2018.
It was precisely in 2018 that Bonduelle’s governance was modified, with the separation of the functions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, but also new features, in particular the increased presence of independent directors on the Board of Directors. Missing from this sixth generation is Jérôme Bonduelle, son of Bruno, who died in 2020 at the age of 51 after being knocked down from his bike in Lille.
Agricultural, energy and climate challenges
The Bonduelle group, a giant in its sector, achieved a turnover of 2.9 billion euros in its 2021-2022 financial year (ended June 30). The four Bonduelle brands (Bonduelle, Cassegrain, Globus, Ready Pac Bistro) and the more than 10,000 employees are divided between France and abroad (Europe, Russia, CIS, Canada, United States, Brazil and East Africa). ‘West).
There is no shortage of challenges for this agrifood giant, which sold 65% of its canned and frozen food subsidiary in North America in early July 2022, to get out of debt and develop its own brands.
Like the other groups in this sector, Bonduelle must also face agricultural, climate and energy challenges. And continues to prepare for the future: the group already employs a handful of representatives of the seventh family generation. All recruited with rigour: each new head must have obtained a bac + 5 level diploma, be in their thirties, have a perfect command of English and have two successful professional experiences.