TEAM SPIRIT: Jean-François Palus, second-in-command at French luxurious group Kering since 2008, would most definitely applaud this vogue pattern: Rugby shirts made a minor comeback in the course of the current males’s vogue weeks for spring 2024.
Palus was captain of his college rugby group till 1995, and the game appears to have formed him as an individual, and a enterprise chief, an viewers in Paris heard Thursday evening as the manager was embellished with an Ordre nationwide du Mérite, a French honorific for distinguished civil achievements.
Serge Weinberg, chief government officer of Kering’s precursor PPR till 2005, did the honors, pinning the vivid blue medallion on Palus’ left lapel in entrance of a crowd that included Kering chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault, sustainability government Marie-Claire Daveau, Kering Beauté chief Raffaella Cornaggia, Bottega Veneta CEO Bartolomeo Rongone and Pascal Morand, government president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
Over 32 years working for the Pinault household, initially with its timber enterprise, later with its Fnac and Conforama retail chains, Palus would settle into largely monetary roles on the group stage, additionally overseeing mergers and acquisitions for a number of years.
Weinberg recommended rugby probably impacted Palus’ negotiating approach, “and the customarily manly means during which you strategy sure topics or specific sure opinions.”
“You might be there, you, together with your convictions — honest, loyal, brave,” he mentioned, additionally jesting that Palus needed to steadiness his ardour for sports activities with the necessity to put on barely fitted Brioni fits for enterprise.
A soft-spoken, low-key government who selected a scruffy, mid-laugh photograph of himself for Kering’s company web site, Palus mentioned he insisted on the conglomerate’s Left Financial institution headquarters to obtain the distinction “to obviously mark what it represents in my eyes: Recognition shared with group workers.
“In rugby, the star is the group,” he defined. “It imposes a way of neighborhood and solidarity.”
Pinault was the primary to congratulate Palus, kissing him on each cheeks. Then company repaired to the backyard for Champagne and nibbles, having fun with the breezy summer season night.
A graduate of French enterprise faculty HEC, Palus began his profession with Arthur Andersen as an auditor and monetary adviser.
He turned group chief monetary officer in 2005 earlier than assuming his present function of group managing director. In that capability, he contributes to the event of the group’s technique, manages its implementation and ensures optimum operational effectivity.
As well as, Palus been a member of Kering’s board since 2009.
