Stéphane Richard wants a duo at the head of Orange – Univers Freebox

The number 1 of the Orange group wants to split the functions of chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer.

If he hopes to be released a second time in the Bernard Tapie affair, the CEO of Orange must wait until October 6 and the decision of the Paris Court of Appeal to officially seek a fourth term in 2022 at the head of the group . “If there were to be a conviction, the board of directors and I would immediately review the situation and make the necessary decisions in the best interests of Orange”, he said this Sunday, September 12 in an interview with the JDD.

Serene, Stéphane Richard does not hide his ambitions: “To remain in the group as chairman in a renewed and dissociated governance is my personal wish”. At a time when the group thinks about a possible division into two entities from the incumbent operator with infrastructure on one side and services on the other, its CEO wants to split the functions of chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer. He explains: “The governance of large groups, in particular those listed on the stock market, has become more complex in recent years. Being the chairman of the board is taking up more and more of my time. ” And to add that this dissociation already observed elsewhere “Is a good thing, if the tandem works. It will naturally be up to Orange shareholders to decide when the time comes ”.

The director general will also have to be appointed. If it is too early to comment on the subject, the eyes are now on Ramon Fernandez, current Deputy CEO and Finance Director. “We have no shortage of internal talent” for this position, said Stéphane Richard. The challenges will be many, such as “Dealing with Gafams, developing new professions such as cybersecurity and financial services, pursuing the group’s development in Africa.”