La Redoute appoints new CEO

La Redoute has announced the appointment of Fabien Versavau as chief executive officer, effective from 9 September. In his new role, he will be responsible for defining the company's strategic roadmap and overseeing its operations, particularly supporting growth in France and internationally, strengthening the home segment, and optimising performance. Versavau has over 25 years of experience in e-commerce, digital, and AI sectors. A graduate of ESC Clermont-Ferrand and holding an MBA from ESSEC, he began his career in 1999 in the digital teams of Ford Motor Company in London, and then at Renault. He later joined the strategy consulting firm Weave as a Managing Consultant. In 2006, he became European development director at Leguide.com, where he led the company's IPO and European expansion. In 2008, he co-founded MyHomeDesign, an interior design and architecture consulting agency. From 2011 to 2017, he served as CEO of Ticketac.com and simultaneously as digital marketing director at Groupe Figaro, where he led e-commerce diversification activities. Since 2018, he has been the CEO of Rakuten France and executive officer Europe at Rakuten Inc., where he orchestrated the strategic turnaround and diversification of the company, transforming PriceMinister into Rakuten and positioning the platform as a leading e-commerce player. Commenting on the announcement, Philippe Houzé, chairman of La Redoute, and Nicolas Houzé, executive chairman of the Galeries Lafayette group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Fabien Versavau as chief executive officer. His strong track record, recognized expertise in e-commerce, and ability to lead ambitious projects will be valuable assets for accompanying a new chapter in La Redoute's history. “With the support of all the teams, we are confident that he will be able continue to grow the company and strengthen its leadership in the Home market and develop the Ready-to-Wear market, while respecting the spirit of innovation that has always driven it.” Versavau also added: “I'm very proud to be joining a company as emblematic as La Redoute, which boasts universally recognized expertise and has undergone an exceptional transformation over the past decade to establish itself as one of Europe's leading e-commerce companies. I look forward to working closely with all our teams to meet new challenges and accelerate our development, in France and abroad, to better serve our customers.”