Saint-Gobain lays the foundation for the subsequent five years' plans
French Giant Saint-Gobain Shifts Focus: A New Decentralized Era
Prepare for a shake-up at Saint-Gobain. The French multinational corporation will unveil its innovative five-year strategic plan on October 6, focusing on a streamlined, less centralized structure, regionalization, and strengthening its leadership position in sustainable construction.
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In a bold move, Saint-Gobain will present its revamped strategic plan, emphasizing regionalization and decentralization. At the recent shareholder meeting on June 6 in Paris, the company hinted at its intention to deepen its strategy as a leader in sustainable construction and expand its country-by-country organization. CEO Benoit Bazin, fresh from being reappointed as president-director general, offered insights into these transformative plans.
Over the past four years, the group has allocated approximately 70% of its investments to North America, Asia, and developing countries, launching around 20 new facilities or production lines annually. This expansion has resulted in an operating result balance between Western Europe (one-third), North America (one-third), and Asia and developing countries (one-third).
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CEO Bazin emphasized, "With over 360 years of history, we have values centered on diversity and the richness of our teams. This strength will continue to drive our growth, likely with increased regionalization across a broader range of Saint-Gobain's offerings." He added that the company's decentralized country-by-country organization, introduced in 2019, has been instrumental in its success, and they are now taking a new step with a deeper local organizational model.
Country CEOs will now take charge of the full range of the company’s solutions for their respective markets. This shift, effective as of July 1, 2025, is designed to adapt more effectively to regional market needs and drive profitable growth in each region. The financial reporting structure will also be reorganized into four regions: Northern Europe, Southern Europe – Middle East & Africa, Americas, and Asia-Pacific, with quarterly sales figures for industrial solutions and annual product breakdowns.
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The company's focus on construction chemistry seeks to accelerate sales growth across all market segments while taking into account a more complex geopolitical landscape. This spirit of transformation extends beyond organizational changes, with Saint-Gobain's executive and operational structure undergoing a reshuffle.
Patrick Dupin has been appointed as Group Chief Operating Officer, overseeing operational performance platforms. Other leadership changes include David Molho as CEO of Northern Europe, Thierry Bernard for Southern Europe – Middle East & Africa, and Camille Harrissart for Latin America. The company will present its comprehensive five-year strategic plan in detail at its Capital Markets Day on October 6, 2025.
This restructuring is aimed at making Saint-Gobain a more agile and responsive force, better equipped to navigate the fragmented geopolitical landscape and evolving construction industry requirements. The company's ongoing commitment to sustainable construction materials and services remains a vital aspect of this strategy.
Saint-Gobain's upcoming strategic plan, to be revealed on October 6, will likely prioritize regionalization and decentralization, as hinted at during the June 6 shareholder meeting in Paris. To achieve this, the company plans to shift its operational structure, allowing country CEOs to manage the full range of the company’s solutions for their respective markets, starting from July 1, 2025. This restructuring, designed to adapt effectively to regional market needs and drive profitable growth, will undoubtedly involve significant investments in the finance and industry sectors.
