Cosfibel appoints new CEO

The Cosfibel Group has announced the appointment of Marie Sermadiras as the new chief executive officer of all its operational subsidiaries. 

The appointment was effective from 3 January 2022. 

Sermadiras joined Cosfibel in May 2021, as executive vice president, to prepare her transition to full operational leadership.  

She will report to her predecessor, the group’s executive chairman, Alain Chevassus, who founded Cosfibel in 2001 and has been the company’s main shareholder since then. 

In 2021, the Cosfibel group reached a turnover close to US$85 million, slightly above 2019’s results.

The group says it is expecting a strong 2022 with an ambitious objective of reaching the US$100 million turnover milestone, with a strong focus on high-value-added markets such as cosmetics, wine & spirits and fine food.  

Sermadiras’s main mission will be to build the path for profitable and sustainable growth, structuring Cosfibel to become a midcap player on its market. This growth will mainly rely on a double-digit organic growth, supported by external acquisitions that will depend on opportunities created in complementary niche markets. 

Sermadiras be supported by two key leaders of the organization who will continue to sit at the executive committee of the company: 

• Stanislas Peronnet, deputy managing director, leading innovation & sustainability topics for the group; 
• Natali Spasenic, corporate CFO in charge of finance, management control and administration.  

 Chevassus said: “I met Marie by a happy coincidence three years ago. The last seven months of common work confirmed my conviction that Marie’s entrepreneurial spirit, past successes and enthusiastic team spirit would be strong assets for Cosfibel. I am particularly proud to pass the torch to a 32-year-old female leader who will – thanks to her modernity – be able to face today’s world challenges and successfully serve our clients, our teams and our shareholders.”

Sermadiras said: “I am proud to have been entrusted by Alain and am very excited about joining such a competent, expert and passionate team. We have absolutely all the assets needed to open a successful new chapter for Cosfibel, thanks to a strong corporate culture combined with healthy foundations. I look forward to developing the company further with a clear ambition to accelerate our diversification and modernisation.”