Eric Vallat to rejoin Rémy Cointreau as CEO

Former Rémy Martin CEO Eric Vallat is to rejoin the Cognac brand’s parent company, Rémy Cointreau, as its new CEO, taking over from Valérie Chapoulaud-Floquet.

Eric Vallat will become CEO of Rémy Cointreau on 1 December

Vallat left Rémy Martin last year to join Swiss luxury goods company Richemont Group as its head of fashion and accessories.

Chapoulaud-Floquet, who has been CEO of French drinks group Rémy Cointreau since 2017, announced in July that she would be stepping down from her role for personal reasons. Vallat will take up the CEO position on 1 December.

“Eric Vallat has a very good knowledge of the group, having successfully run the House of Rémy Martin for more than four years,” said Marc Hériard-Dubreuil, chairman of Rémy Countreau.

“Over the course of his career, he has also built up an in-depth knowledge of the luxury goods sector and French craftsmanship.

“We are delighted that he is rejoining the group and [are] convinced that his expertise and charisma will enable him to pursue, develop and spearhead the value strategy that will lead Rémy Cointreau on to further successes and help the group achieve its ambition of becoming the leader in exceptional spirits.”

After graduating from the HEC business school in 1993, Vallat bagan his career in investment banking before joining LVMH, where he eventually became president of Christian Dior Couture Japan in 2004.

He joined EPI Group as chairman of Bonpoint and managing director of J.M. Weston, moving to Rémy Cointreau in 2014, where he acted as CEO of Rémy Martin and president of Mount Gay Rum until 2018. He was also a member of Rémy Cointreau’s executive committee.

In its 2018/19 fiscal year, Rémy Cointreau reported sales growth of 7.8%, boosted by double-digit gains for its Cognac portfolio. In May, the group entered into “exclusive negotiations” to buy Maison de Cognac JR Brillet.