(Reuters) -French IT group Atos said on Tuesday that Philippe Salle, CEO of French real estate and services group Emeria, will become its new chairman with immediate effect and its CEO from February in the latest reshuffle of its top management.
Salle, who according to the company will participate in the ailing firm’s restructuring by investing at least 9 million euros ($9.8 million) himself, replaces former UniCredit top banker Jean-Pierre Mustier.
Mustier was appointed chairman a year ago to manage the restructuring, and took over as CEO in July after the abrupt departure of Paul Saleh.
Atos said Mustier will act as CEO until Jan. 31 to ensure “an orderly, constructive and effective transition”, and will remain on the company’s board of directors.
The company, once seen as one of Europe’s champions in the software and technology sector, is undergoing formal restructuring proceedings to get its business back on track. This year alone, its market value has dropped by more than 90%.
A French court hearing on the accelerated safeguard plan between the company and its creditors is scheduled for later on Tuesday.
Salle has been CEO of Emeria since 2017, where he led its international expansion and doubled the company’s turnover, according to the group.
He also ran consulting and IT services group Altran between 2011 and 2015, turning around the lossmaking firm before it was taken over by Capgemini.
Salle is also chairman of the board at French geosciences technology company Viridien.
($1 = 0.9184 euros)
(Reporting by Michal Aleksandrowicz and Florence Loeve; Editing by Jan Harvey)
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