SAUDI ARABIA. Lagardère Travel Retail has named highly respected senior executive Mélanie Guilldou (pictured) – who was Executive Vice President Dining Global – as CEO of its Saudi Arabian business.
The company said on LinkedIn: “Since 2016, Mélanie has led our Dining division with distinction. Over these eight years, she successfully established and expanded our Dining operations across more than 25 countries, while cultivating a robust and professional ‘Foodie Community’.
“Her strategic leadership has significantly contributed to Lagardère Travel Retail’s market growth, consistently delivering outstanding results.”
In addition to her F&B role, Guilldou has been a key influence on Lagardère Travel Retail’s global CSR programme, titled PEPS (Planet. Ethics. People. Social).
Lagardère Travel Retail said: “Mélanie’s wealth of experience, proven track record and visionary leadership make her ideally suited to drive our growth in the dynamic Saudi Arabian market.
“This comes at a crucial moment, as we see numerous exciting opportunities emerging for our business in the region.”
Lagardère Travel Retail CEO France & Regional COO Middle East & Africa Vincent Romet said: “We are proud to announce that Mélanie Guilldou has taken on the role of CEO of our operations in Saudi Arabia, officially as of 1 October 2024. For over a year, however, Mélanie has already been working closely with Dr. Munif Mohammed and the teams to drive growth in the Kingdom, particularly in F&B.
“Her familiarity with the KSA airport landscape and her strong understanding of both our local and central teams will be instrumental in elevating our expertise and operational quality across our three-business lines. I am especially confident in her ability to foster hospitality and service excellence—both essential to realising the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”
Lagardère Travel Retail noted that Dr. Munif now serves as Head of the Middle East regional structure responsible for supporting business operations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the wider region. He and his team lend support across Commercial, Supply Chain, Finance, and IT management for all regional operations. He reports directly to Chief Commercial & Digital Officer Lylian Vignau in Paris. ✈
