COFACE SA: Governance evolution – Bernardo Sanchez Incera appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors
Coface SA
·11-min read
Paris, 10th February 2021 – 17.35
COFACE SA: Governance evolution – Bernardo Sanchez Incera appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors
Following the change in the shareholder base and the arrival of Arch Capital Group Ltd. (Arch) - (NASDAQ: ACGL) - in Coface's capital, COFACE SA's Board of Directors is evolving. Bernardo Sanchez Incera has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors.
The transaction between Natixis and Arch for the sale of a stake in Coface's capital, which was announced on 25 February 2020, has received all the necessary approvals for its closing. As a result, Arch now holds 44.8m shares of Coface, representing 29.5% of the company's capital.
In accordance with the statements made when the agreement was announced, all the directors representing Natixis have resigned. The Board then co-opted four directors presented by Arch as well as Bernardo Sanchez Incera, who was then appointed Chairman of the Board.
As of today, Coface's Board of Directors has therefore 10 members, 4 women and 6 men, the majority (6) of whom are independent directors.
Coface’s general management wants to thank Natixis and BPCE board members for their personal involvement and their contribution to Coface’s governance over the past years.
The Board of Directors reaffirmed its confidence in the management team and the relevance of the Build to Lead strategic plan.
Bernardo Sanchez Incera, Chairman of Coface, declared:
“First of all, I would like to thank Coface's Board of Directors for the trust they have placed in me. In this very unusual period, I have a total confidence in the ability of all the Coface teams, under the leadership of Xavier Durand, to continue implementing the Build to Lead strategic plan. I am also pleased to welcome the representatives of Arch Capital Group. “
Marc Grandisson, Chief Executive Officer of Arch Capital Group Ltd., for its part declared: “Our investment in Coface shows our confidence in the group's strategy and its team. 2020 has demonstrated the strategic importance of credit insurance for inter-company trade. We are delighted to accompany Coface in its future development.”
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Bernardo Sanchez Incera – age: 60
A Spanish national, Bernardo Sanchez-Incera joined Societe Generale in 2009 before occupying the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Societe Generale from January 2010 to May 2018. Previously he was Chief Executive Officer of the Monoprix group from 2004 to 2009, Chief Executive Officer of Vivarte from 2003 to 2004, Chairman of LVMH Mode et Maroquinerie Europe between 2001 and 2003 and International Director of the Inditex group from 1999 to 2001. Mr Sanchez-Incera also exercised the functions of Chief Executive Officer of Zara France from 1996 to 1999, after having been Chief Executive Officer of Banca Jover Spain from 1994 to 1996 and both Director and Board member of Crédit Lyonnais in Belgium from 1992 to 1994. He started his career as business operator and Deputy Director of the La Défense business centre at Crédit Lyonnais in Paris from 1984 to 1992. Holder of an MBA from INSEAD, Bernardo Sanchez-Incera is a graduate of the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Sceinces Po) and has a master’s degree and a DESS in Economics.
Independent directors
Éric HEMAR – age: 57
Éric Hémar, a former ENA student, began his career at the Cour des comptes before joining the Ministry of Equipment, Transportation and Tourism in 1993, where he served as Technical Adviser to Minister Bernard Bosson. In 1995, he joined the Sceta group, and then Geodis as General Secretary. He left Geodis Logistics in March 2001 to create the ID Logistics group. Mr Hémar has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ID Logistics group since 2010.
Isabelle LAFORGUE – age: 40
After graduating from École polytechnique and École des Mines de Paris, Isabelle Laforgue commenced her career at SFR in 2006, where she held various roles in the Strategy and Finance Departments. She was appointed Director of Central Finance in 2011, in charge of management control, accounting, financial communications and consolidation. In 2012, she was appointed Chief of Staff to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SFR, advising, analysing and supporting the decision-making processes during a period of change and market consolidation. In 2015, she joined Econocom, a European company specialising in the digital transformation of businesses, as Chief Transformation Officer to develop and implement the Group’s internal transformation. In 2017, she became Deputy CEO for France at Econocom. In 2019, she joined Owkin, a start-up specialising in the use of artificial intelligence in cancer research, as Executive VP Finance & Operation
Nathalie Lomon – age: 49
Nathalie Lomon has been Deputy CEO, overseeing the SEB group’s finance, audit and legal functions, since September 2019. She is also a member of the Executive Committee and the General Management Committee. A graduate of the NEOMA Business School, Nathalie Lomon began her career in auditing at Mazars in 1995 before joining the General Inspection department at BNP Paribas in 1999. In 2002, she joined Pechiney where she held several financial and management positions, including Chief Financial Officer for the Aeronautical, Transport and Industry division of Rio Tinto Alcan. She then joined the Ingenico group in 2010 as Head of Management Control, subsequently becoming Chief Financial Officer for the European-SEPA region in 2014 and then Chief Financial Officer in 2015, overseeing the finance, legal & governance functions, as well as being a member of the Executive Committee.
Sharon MacBeath – age: 52
Sharon MacBeath has a degree in psychology and management from the University of Glasgow, holds a Master’s degree in human resources from the Sorbonne, and has an EMBA from INSEAD. After founding the consulting firm EMDS, which specialises in the recruitment, selection and development of highly promising young people with international profiles, she has worked in France since 1991 in the field of human resources. She held the position of Director of Human Resources for the pharmacy and beauty line of the Rexam group before becoming Director of Human Resources and Communications for Redcats, a company in the Kering group (formerly PPR) in 2005. Ms MacBeath was Head of Human Resources and a member of the Executive Committee of the Rexel group between 2013 and the end of 2016. She has been a member of the Board and Head of Human Resources at the Tarkett group since January 2017, before moving from a role as director on the Supervisory Board at Hermès International to the role of Group Human Resources Director at Hermès International in June 2019.
Olivier Zarrouati – age: 62
Olivier Zarrouati is a former student of the École polytechnique and an engineering graduate of the École nationale supérieure de l’aéronautique (SUPAERO) and of Harvard’s Kennedy School in Cambridge, USA. After beginning his career as an engineer in the armaments sector, he held the positions of engineer and Head of Major Projects at the CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales) from 1982 to 1988, and then at Matra Marconi Space from 1989 to 1994. He joined Intertechnique, which was purchased by Zodiac in 1999, as Head of External Development and Subsidiary Control. He subsequently performed various functions within the Zodiac Aerospace group, in particular as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Aerosafety Systems segment and as CEO of aeronautical businesses. From 2007 to 2017, he was Chairman of the Board and Director of the Executive Committee of the Zodiac Aerospace group. He has also been Chairman of the Fondation Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace SUPAERO since 2011. In 2017, he founded his own company, Thélème.
Non independent directors representing Arch Capital Group Ltd.
Janice ENGLESBE – age: 52
Janice Englesbe is Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Arch Capital Group Ltd. She joined Arch Feb. 25, 2019, and is responsible for Arch’s overall risk management function. Ms. Englesbe has over 25 years of risk, finance and business experience, including the role of Group Deputy Chief Risk Officer of General Re. She received her B.S. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Chris HOVEY – age: 54
Chris Hovey is Chief Operations Officer at Arch Capital Services LLC. From July 2018 to January 2020, Mr. Hovey served as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Arch Capital Services LLC. Prior to that, he held the role of Chief Operating Officer of Arch Mortgage Insurance Company. Before joining Arch, Mr. Hovey acted as Chief Operating Officer for PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. since 2011. He also served as Senior Vice President of servicing operations and loss management for PMI, which he originally joined in 2002. Mr. Hovey holds a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and an M.B.A. from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California.
Benoît LAPOINTE DE VAUDREUIL – age: 51
Benoît Lapointe de Vaudreuil is an attorney, member of the Paris and Quebec Bars and practicing insurance law in Paris, France. Mr. Lapointe de Vaudreuil is the President of BLV Avocats, a law firm he founded in Paris in 2019 and he is an Of Counsel attorney for PWC Société d’avocats in Paris. He was previously with Optimum Group for nearly 20 years notably as Managing Director of insurance and asset management companies in France. He holds an LLB in law from the University of Montreal, a DEA in private law from the University of Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne) and an MBA from the HEC school in Montreal. Mr. Lapointe de Vaudreuil’s training also includes a diploma from the Institute of Comparative Law of the University of Paris II (Panthéon-Assas) and he is a director on the boards of directors of Canadian and French companies.
Nicolas PAPADOPOULO – age: 58
Nicolas Papadopoulo is President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Arch Capital Group Ltd. He was promoted to his current position Jan. 1, 2021. From September 2017 through December 2020, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Arch Worldwide Insurance Group and Chief Underwriting Officer for Property and Casualty Operations. From July 2014 to September 2017, Mr. Papadopoulo was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Arch Reinsurance Group at Arch Capital Group Ltd. He joined Arch Reinsurance Ltd. in December 2001 where he held a variety of underwriting roles. Prior to joining Arch, he held various positions at Sorema N.A. Reinsurance Group, a U.S. subsidiary of Groupama, and he was also an insurance examiner with the Ministry of Finance, Insurance Department, in France. Mr. Papadopoulo graduated from École Polytechnique in France and École Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Administration Economique in France with a master’s degree in statistics. He is also a Member of the International Actuarial Association and a Fellow at the French Actuarial Society.
FINANCIAL CALENDAR 2020/2021 (subject to change) Q1-2021 results: 27 April 2021 (after market close) Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting 2020: 12 May 2021 H1-2021 results: 28 July 2021 (after market close) 9M-2021 results: 28 October 2021 (after market close)
FINANCIAL INFORMATION This press release, as well as COFACE SA’s integral regulatory information, can be found on the Group’s website: http://www.coface.com/Investors
For regulated information on Alternative Performance Measures (APM), please refer to our Interim Financial Report for S1-2020 and our 2019 Universal Registration Document.
Coface: for trade
With over 70 years of experience and the most extensive international network, Coface is a leader in trade credit insurance and adjacent specialty services, including Factoring, Single Risk insurance, Bonding and Information services. Coface’s experts work to the beat of the global economy, helping ~50,000 clients build successful, growing, and dynamic businesses across the world. Coface helps companies in their credit decisions. The Group's services and solutions strengthen their ability to sell by protecting them against the risks of non-payment in their domestic and export markets. In 2019, Coface employed ~4,250 people and registered a turnover of €1.5 billion.
COFACE SA is quoted in Compartment A of Euronext Paris Code ISIN: FR0010667147 / Mnémonique : COFA
DISCLAIMER - Certain declarations featured in this press release may contain forecasts that notably relate to future events, trends, projects or targets. By nature, these forecasts include identified or unidentified risks and uncertainties, and may be affected by many factors likely to give rise to a significant discrepancy between the real results and those stated in these declarations. Please refer to chapter 5 “Main risk factors and their management within the Group” of the Coface Group's 2019 Universal Registration Document filed with AMF on 16 April 2020 under the number D.20-0302 in order to obtain a description of certain major factors, risks and uncertainties likely to influence the Coface Group's businesses. The Coface Group disclaims any intention or obligation to publish an update of these forecasts, or provide new information on future events or any other circumstance.
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