Our Board of Directors
The Board of Directors oversees the governance of Pernod Ricard in an ethical and transparent manner while ensuring that the business is managed in the best interests of its stakeholders. Composed of 14 members bringing complementary skills and experience, the Board ensures that the Group pursues its business strategy, with the primary goal of increasing the value of the Company as well as taking into account the social and environmental impact of our business.
-
Alexandre RicardChairman & Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director, Strategic Committee Chairman -
Patricia BarbizetLead Independent Director, Nominations and Governance Committee Chairwoman, CSR Committee Chairwoman, Compensation Committee Member -
Wolfgang ColbergDirector, Audit Committee Member -
Virginie FauvelIndependent Director, Strategic Committee Member -
Ian GallienneIndependent Director, Strategic Committee Member, Compensation Committee Member -
César GironDirector, Nominations and Governance Committee Member -
Anne LangeIndependent Director, Strategic Committee Member, Nominations and Governance Committee Member -
Philippe PetitcolinIndependent Director, Audit Committee Chairman, Strategic Committee Member -
Patricia Ricard GironDirector and Permanent Representative of Société Paul Ricard, Strategic Committee Member -
Namita ShahIndependent Director, CSR Committee Member -
Kory SorensonIndependent Director, Compensation Committee Chairwoman, Audit Committee Member -
Veronica VargasDirector, CSR Committee Member -
Maria Jesús Carrasco LopezEmployee Director, Compensation Committee Member -
Brice ThommenEmployee Director
Organisation
In accordance with the AFEP-MEDEF Code of Corporate Governance for companies listed in France, Pernod Ricard respects the independence criteria established in the Code. The Board is comprised of 14 members, seven of whom are independent and two of whom represent Group employees. Following the recommendation of the Nominations and Governance Committee, as of 23 January 2019, the Board appointed a Lead Independent Director.
The Internal Rules and Regulations stipulate that the Board members must meet at least six times per year for meetings that are presided by the Chairman of the Board, who is also Pernod Ricard’s Chief Executive Officer. The Chairman reports on the Board’s progress at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting.
The Chairman is responsible for ensuring that the Group’s bodies run smoothly, which includes providing the Directors with the information and resources they need to fulfil their duties. The role of the Lead Independent Director is notably to convene and chair the meetings of the Board of Directors in the absence of the Chairman and CEO; conduct the annual assessment of the functioning of the Board of Directors on the basis of individual interviews with each Director; prevent the occurrence of conflicts of interest; ensure compliance with the AFEP-MEDEF Code and the Board’s Internal Rules and Regulations; convene and chair the Executive Session; review shareholder requests for corporate governance and ensure that they are answered; and meet with the Company’s investors. In order to further root its work in the Group’s daily business operations, the Board holds one meeting per year in an operating affiliate.
FY22 activity
Over the course of FY22, the Board met eight times, with an attendance rate of 100%. The average length of the meetings was approximately three and a half hours. Their main activities were to:
- approve the half-year and annual financial statements;
- review the budget;
- oversee the preparations for the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting;
- review and approve the work of the committees;
- review presentations of the activities of the functional departments and affiliates;
- review its own functioning and that of its committees and;
- update the Group’s Health and Safetly policy to ensure it’s implementation in the various affiliates.