Galeries Lafayette CEO Arthur Lemoine reshapes leadership with key finance appointment and ongoing transformation

Galeries Lafayette is undergoing a significant leadership transition as CEO Arthur Lemoine, a member of the founding family’s fifth generation, actively shapes his new senior executive team. Appointed to lead the prestigious French department store group in the summer, Lemoine is meticulously selecting his closest collaborators to steer the company into its next chapter. This strategic restructuring underscores a clear intent to reinforce the group’s executive capabilities and drive its overarching transformation.

The most recent key appointment in this evolving executive structure is Elsa Haddad, who has been named the new head of finance, strategy, and transformation. Effective December 1, Haddad's comprehensive role will involve "supporting the overhaul of Galeries Lafayette by overseeing the priority aspects of the group’s transformation, as well as drawing up and monitoring its budget," as stated by Galeries Lafayette. She steps into a pivotal position previously held by Matthieu Caloni, who has transitioned to the role of CFO for the broader Galeries Lafayette group, now working alongside Nicolas Houzé.

Elsa Haddad, 36, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record within the group to her new role. She will report directly to CEO Arthur Lemoine and will also join the group's influential executive committee. Haddad initially joined Galeries Lafayette in 2018, following a strong foundation laid during her tenure at the management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group. Her journey within Galeries Lafayette has been marked by rapid progression and diverse responsibilities, starting as a project manager within the Strategy and Transformation department. She subsequently rose to head of expansion and new projects, then head of digital and expansion at BHV Marais, before her most recent position overseeing the beauty, home, and leisure categories within the product purchasing department.

Haddad's appointment follows an earlier strategic hire in early November, when Harold Israel was brought in to spearhead the group’s specialised activities. These concurrent appointments highlight Lemoine's commitment to assembling a dynamic and multifaceted leadership team capable of navigating the complex retail landscape and executing an ambitious transformation agenda for the iconic department store chain.

The Galeries Lafayette group's operational footprint currently includes 48 stores across France, with 17 directly owned and 31 operating as franchises. Recent adjustments to this network include the mid-November closures of the Marseilles branches and the impending closure of the directly operated Galeries Lafayette branch at Rosny 2 in December. Furthermore, seven franchised stores previously managed by SGM are in the process of converting to the BHV chain, indicating a strategic rationalisation and brand alignment effort. Beyond its extensive domestic presence, the group maintains a global reach with 11 international branches (both existing and planned), an active e-shop, and a dedicated outlet store, showcasing its diverse retail channels and market penetration strategies.