– FRANCE, Paris – Air Liquide (EPA: AI) today announced the upcoming appointment of François Jackow to its Board of Directors to succeed Benoît Potier as CEO, effective from June 1, 2022.
This succession plan includes splitting the roles of Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO with Benoît Potier renewed as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Lead director, Jean-Paul Agon said: “Our committee has been working on Benoît Potier’s succession plan and the future governance of Air Liquide for over two years. Several high quality candidates were considered. François Jackow’s level of experience, skills and personal qualities were assessed by the Board as being particularly in line with the Group’s performance and development strategy. His appointment was recommended to the Board of Directors with Benoît Potier’s full agreement”.
Benoît Potier, Chairman, and current CEO commented: “I am delighted by the future appointment of François Jackow as CEO. The selection process has been exemplary. François Jackow is someone I know very well. His professional and human qualities are appreciated by all. His experience in the field, his strategic vision, and his leadership are paired with a firm commitment to the Group’s values. We have a long history of working well together. He has my full trust, as well as that of the Board. With this change of governance, which combines continuity and renewal, the Group is starting a new chapter in its history which coincides with the launch of our new strategic plan to be presented in March 2022. For my part, I am looking forward to continuing to fully contribute to the success of the Air Liquide group, as Chairman.”
About François Jackow
François Jackow joined Air Liquide in 1993. After a wide-ranging, international career, François Jackow has the benefit of his extensive experience of the Group, combining strategic vision and knowledge of its business lines. A member of the Executive Committee as EVP, François Jackow notably in charge of Europe Industries, Healthcare in Europe and Africa Middle East & India. The Global Healthcare activity, the Innovation, Technologies, Digital and IT functions are also under his supervision as well as Customer orientation strategy.
François Jackow joined the Air Liquide group in 1993. After a very international career started in the United States and in the Netherlands which led him to successively hold responsibilities in sales, marketing, and engineering & construction, François Jackow worked for 2 years alongside Benoît Potier, CEO of the Group at that time. In 2002, he was appointed VP of Innovation, supervising Research & Development activities as well as Advanced Technologies for the Group. Starting 2007, he undertakes the responsibility of CEO for Air Liquide Japan, based in Tokyo, before being appointed Group VP of the Large Industries Business Line in 2011.
In 2014, François Jackow joined the Executive Committee and was designated as the Group’s Strategy VP. In this role, he oversees the development of the NEOS strategic plan and contributes to the Airgas acquisition in 2016.
A member of the Executive Committee, François Jackow is currently EVP supervising notably Europe Industries, Europe Healthcare as well as Africa / Middle-East / India Hubs. He is also in charge of the Healthcare World Business Line, and as such, is particularly involved in the strong mobilisation of the Group in the context of Covid since the beginning of the pandemic. The Innovation, Technologies, Digital and IT functions also report to him, as well as the Customer Division, which he created in 2014.
François Jackow is a French citizen with a dual scientific and managerial education acquired in France and in the United States. Graduated from the Ecole normale supérieure of Paris, he also holds a Masters degree in Chemistry from Harvard University in the United States and an MBA from the Collège des ingénieurs.
About Air Liquide
A world leader in gases, technologies, and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 78 countries with approximately 64,500 employees and serves more than 3.8 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.
Air Liquide’s ambition is to be a leader in its industry, deliver long-term performance and contribute to sustainability – with a strong commitment to climate change and energy transition at the heart of its strategy. The company’s customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable, regular and responsible growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.
Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to more than 20 billion euros in 2020. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes.
For more information: https://www.airliquide.com/
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