The Vendée group Dubreuil, owner among other airlines Air Caribbean and French bee, chose to develop the organization of Dubreuil Aero Group (GDA), the airline division of his diversified family group. Who will welcome the outgoing leader of TAP Air Portugal, Christine Ourmieres-Widener.
John Paul DubreuilPresident of GDA, has decided to pass the baton to his son Paul-Henri, CEO of the eponymous family group, announces a press release dated June 29, 2023. After almost 50 years of a busy career in air transport, Jean-Paul Dubreuil will pass the torch to his son as of July 1. A transfer which could have taken place earlier but which was thwarted by the health crisis, as Jean-Paul Dubreuil points out: “ It was out of the question for me to pass on the commands of the Air Pole to my son in the midst of turmoil. This very difficult situation that our family has been through for the past 3 years is now behind us as we return to the green with performances at the level of those of 2019. Now is the time to pass the baton to Paul-Henri – who will take responsibility for air transport within our Group, in addition to those he already exercises in our 6 other businesses »
At 52, Paul-Henri Dubreuil has been head of the Dubreuil group’s Distribution division since 2009. Under his mandate, the family group “successfully pursued diversification and continued to develop in France in the ‘Automotive, public works equipment, agricultural machinery, heavy goods vehicles, energies and the hotel industry’. THE Distribution division achieved 1.9 billion euros in turnover in 2022, i.e. more than two-thirds of the Dubreuil group’s total turnover. ” I joined the Group after my studies in 1994, taking charge of the food distribution and petroleum products activities. I gradually took into account all the other businesses in which our Group is involved until I took over the head of the Distribution division, nearly 15 years ago. With the same enthusiasm, I would be keen to invest myself fully in mastering all facets of the Airline division and taking over from my father. “said Paul-Henri Dubreuil.
This “transmission to a new generation” will be accompanied at the same time by an evolution of the management of the 4 companies of the cluster.
Christine Ourmieres-Widener was appointed Director of the Dubreuil Group Airline division and Executive Director GDA companies: Air Caribbean, Air Caribbean Atlantic, french bee And Hi line Cargo. The meeting with the new CEO “was unanimous and her recruitment is a concerted family choice. Enthusiastic and determined, Christine Ourmières-Widener is a great airline professional with a long experience in the management of European airlines. His cross-functional expertise, both commercial and technical, will also be an asset in mobilizing energy internally”.
” I am happy to join today a group on a human scale, family, and recognized in Air Transport. I am also looking forward to taking up my duties, to meeting and exchanging with the different teams of the companies to fully understand the specificities of each of the companies. I give myself this time to listen and observe before defining my priorities and my schedule of actions after the start of the school year. “, declared the one who was previously at the head of TAP Air Portugal (up to TAPgate), flybe or before CityJet.
The Dubreuil group relied on the firm Heidrick & Struggles to find the best profile to form a new pair with Paul-Henri Dubreuil – as has been the case over the past 20 years between Jean-Paul Dubreuil and Marc Rochet. The latter commented: What a journey in twenty years, made of passion and successes thanks to all our staff whom I thank, thanks to Jean-Paul Dubreuil, to his family! It has been an honor for me to participate in the many challenges that have been ours, and are those of air transport. I used to say: change is all the time! So came that of a new team. Christine will be able to carry our ambitions even higher, for the satisfaction of our customers and to better serve our overseas destinations in particular. I wish him the greatest success “.
During this phase of getting started, Christine Ourmières-Widener “will have the best of guides in the person of Marc Rochet “. The latter, who joined Air Caraïbes in 2003, remains President of the structures of the division for a four-month period and “will accompany Christine during this handover period, an important step in giving all the keys and transmitting knowledge”. And on October 31, Christine Ourmières-Widener will become CEO companies Air Caraïbes, Air Caraïbes Atlantique, French bee and Hi line Cargo. Marc Rochet will then be appointed Director at GDA and in the companies “to continue to bring his expertise to a sector he knows by heart”.
The Dubreuil group concludes: “With this new management team, a generational page is being turned. A team obviously admiring the work accomplished by Jean-Paul Dubreuil and Marc Rochet over the 20 years of their collaboration. A team that will in turn carry new ambitions and new developments “.
