Isabelle Kocher becomes DG of Engie only leader of the CAC 40 – Le Figaro

The number two Engie (formerly GDF Suez), Isabelle Kocher, Tuesday became the only executive leader of a group of the CAC 40 by endorsing the position of Director General of French energy giant. The mandate of director of Mrs. Kocher, 49, has been renewed for four years almost unanimously Tuesday at the general shareholders meeting of the group held about 33% by the state.

Then, the group confirmed in a statement that its board had appointed to the post of Director General. “This is a major milestone in the life of our group, it will be the only female CEO of a CAC 40 company,” said CEO Gerard Mestrallet, who will be extended for two years as non-executive chairman of the group to for a separation of governance functions and a change in the age limit. “She has held all positions necessary for the course. It has shown in each of these positions she had all the qualifications and experience to now take the reins of the group,” he added. “She became the patron and I give him confidence.”

Former CFO of Engie before being appointed deputy general manager in charge of operations in October 2014, this engineer of 49 mines Corps years will become the CEO of a CAC 40 company since the appointment of the US Patricia Russo as head of Alcatel-Lucent in 2006. No other woman currently holds such an operational function in a still very male environment: Sophie Bellon took the lead Sodexo early 2016, but only chairs the service company’s supervisory board, as Elisabeth Badinter who holds the same position within the advertising giant Publicis since 1996.

Isabelle Kocher will include driving the strategic shift initiated by Engie to adapt to a changing energy industry, with falling market prices, the development of renewable energy and digitization, which lead to greater decentralization of resources of production. To enable the extension of Gérard Mestrallet, who presided over the destinies of Engie for over 20 years, before processing the group in energy giant, the shareholders approved an amendment to the articles shifting to 69 the age limit up here set to 67, its present age.