” In very difficult personal circumstances, despite my strong attachment to Areva, I had to bring myself to do not continue my duties as head of the company and put me off work for medical reasons “, explained Oursel, said in the statement.
“I must now carry a personal fight against the disease, but all my thoughts are with teams Areva . I was proud and happy to engage in a challenging environment, in the turnaround of the company, serving the country, and I am confident that they will succeed. “
The decision to replace Mr Oursel be taken ” in the coming hours “, said the Prime Minister, Manuel Valls.
“I received Mr. Oursel this weekend, who told me the news and his illness is a brave man who was a very professional leader, very committed to the die nuclear. There will be continuity, succession to the leadership of this great company Areva what “
Read his portrait. Luc Oursel , Minesweeper
A departure that comes as governance will change
The departure of Mr. Oursel comes as the person to know what fate awaited his alleged by the state, which owns 87% of Areva, live through the Commission for Atomic Energy (CEA). In December indeed must be approved the change of Governance Areva. Company with a Management Board and Supervisory Board, the builder of power plants will become a company with a CEO and a chairman of the board.
This reform had been under consideration since the appointment of . Oursel in June 2011, turn page management deemed too personal – and sometimes uncontrollable – Anne Lauvergeon during his two terms (2001-2011).
The state was and decide whether he Mr. Oursel extended. In this case, it must be the position of CEO. The post of chairman of the board back to Pierre Blayau, Chairman of the Supervisory Board since 2013, with an additional prerogative in relation to its current mandate: the approval of accounts
But nothing does. was played: the name of Philippe Knoche, deputy CEO of Areva and number two, has been circulating for several weeks to replace Mr. Oursel. The polytechnic, mining engineer, knows the house: it was the first team from M me Lauvergeon in 2000 during the creation of Areva by the merger of Cogema, Framatome and CEA Industries .
A starting concomitant replacement of the CEO of EDF
But the departure of Mr. Oursel also comes as the CEO of EDF, Henri Proglio, was thanked by the state. He was replaced by Jean-Bernard Levy, head of Thales.
But the bosses of Areva and EDF will have to agree. After the war without thank you Lauvergeon-Proglio between 2009 and 2011, very damaging to the functioning of the French nuclear industry and its image abroad, EDF and Areva had peaceful dealings with the arrival of Mr. Oursel.
This was evidenced by the boss of Areva, 15 billion of orders the electricity giant has spent the incumbent supplier in the past three years. In the civil nuclear sector, the links between plant operators and equipment manufacturers are tightening more and more. We see it with the new Korean competitors, China and Russia Areva and EDF. They must work closely together to from to conquer markets increasingly difficult to win .
Read the analysis: Proglio: Five years, five dates for rough presidency
A departure that comes as the financial situation is heckled
Areva still faces a high debt (4.7 billion euros). Therefore, on October 7, the Supervisory Board decided on a new package for “strengthen the financial structure. “
The group has decided to reduce by € 200 million investments in 2015 and 2016 they will fall below 1 billion (against $ 1.1 billion in 2014). The sale of non-strategic assets and minority interests will continue, with a “minimum of 450 miilion euros” . Finally, Areva will issue bonds “at the earliest” according to the market situation.
After three years of relative calm, the company faces new turmoil since the beginning of the year. In the first half, they showed a net loss of € 694 million, and 2014 will end with a 10% decrease in revenue.
Renewable energy has lost a lot of money Areva and decided to stop its activities in concentrated solar power. Large projects weigh on the accounts, including the modernization of central Sweden, the execution goes wrong. In the United States, net sales declined 12% in the first half (compared to 2013).
Heavy issues EPR and wind
Heavy Mortgage weigh on the group. Will put it in 2018 (with the help of EDF) Finnish EPR reactor for which he provisioned EUR 2.8 billion? Will restart when the Japanese reactors? And how many of the 48 slices in working order? Since Fukushima, the turnover in the Japanese archipelago fell from 1 billion to less than 200 million.
The future of activity in offshore wind turbines is also at stake. Must prosecuted, as desired by Mr. Oursel? Or off, as the defending Blayau, whose relations were difficult with Mr. Oursel
& gt;. & Gt; Read also: The Finnish EPR nuclear reactor to enter service in 2018, promises Areva, nine years late (subscribers edition)
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