PARIS — The Galeries Lafayette group and La Redoute announced executive changes at the helm of La Redoute as the French retail group moves toward full ownership of the e-commerce and catalogue pure player in which it has a 51 percent stake.
An exact timeline for these changes was specified, but it is understood to be taking place in the coming months.
La Redoute’s current deputy managing director, Philippe Berlan, is slated to become chief executive officer, taking over from exiting co-CEOs Nathalie Balla and Eric Courteille, who have been at the helm since they purchased the catalogue business from its then-owner Kering in 2014. They sold a majority stake to Galeries Lafayette in 2017 as part of the group’s plans to accelerate its digital offering.
A graduate of France’s Ecole des Mines de Paris, Berlan has more than 25 years of experience in the retail industry. He joined La Redoute in 2012 after holding managerial positions at food retail group Casino, and fashion labels Petit Bateau and Lancel.
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Philippe Houzé, executive chairman of the French retail group, lauded Berlan’s track record, stating that he’s “actively helped to transform” the business and would be an asset “as [the group] seeks to maintain the trajectory of this leading French e-commerce company.”
A household name in France, La Redoute had clawed back relevance after transforming from a traditional French catalogue business selling a broad range of clothing and furniture to a pure player online business. Up to 90 percent of its business came from online sales, it had stated at the time of its purchase by Galeries Lafayette.
Its own-brand items, including collaborations, also contributed to its recovery. In the joint statement announcing Berlan’s nomination and its intention to grow its stake, La Redoute indicated that 70 percent of its 2021 turnover could be attributed to its products and brands.
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