Moët Hennessy: two new appointments

The Wines and Spirits division, the most troubled part of the LVMH group, has just appointed Thomas Mulliez as CEO of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and Laure Baume as President EMEA of Moët Hennessy. They will report to Jean-Jacques Guiony and Alexandre Arnault, respectively, who were appointed CEO and Deputy CEO of Moët Hennessy last February.

There continues to be movement within the governance of Moët Hennessy. Following the recent appointment of Mathieu Jullien as CEO of the new LVMH Vins d’Exception structure, LVMH’s Wines and Spirits division has just announced two new appointments: Thomas Mulliez as CEO of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and Laure Baume as President EMEA of Moët Hennessy.

Both will take up their positions on October 1, 2025.

They will report to Jean-Jacques Guiony and Alexandre Arnault.

Their appointments were made official in a press release from LVMH by Jean-Jacques Guiony and Alexandre Arnault, who took over Moët Hennessy last February as CEO and Deputy CEO, respectively.

This division is the group’s weakest link, with an 8% decline in comparable data to €5.8 billion and a 36% drop in current operating profit in 2024 and again in the first half of 2025, an 8% decline in sales to €2.59 billion and a further 33% drop in current operating profit to €524 million.

Thomas Mulliez will report to Jean-Jacques Guiony and Laure Baume to Alexandre Arnault.

Thomas Mulliez succeeds Jean-Marc Gallot, who is leaving the LVMH group after 22 years with the group, including 11 at the helm of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.

French flagships

A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique in 2000, Thomas Mulliez has management experience with several French consumer goods flagships.

After starting his career in 2002 in the Consumer Products division at L’Oréal, he joined a private equity firm in 2006.

In 2014, he became CEO of Linvosges, an iconic French home linens brand, and two years later, of the French silverware brand Guy Degrenne.

In 2020, Thomas Mulliez joined Moët Hennessy as Managing Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, before becoming President EMEA in 2023. This year, he joined the Moët Hennessy Executive Committee as a member.

Impressive experience both outside and within Moët Hennessy

For her part, Laure Baume, a graduate of HEC Paris (class of 1998), also has impressive experience both outside and within Moët Hennessy.

After starting out in marketing at Kraft Foods, first in France and then in New York, she joined the Club Med group in 2006 as Managing Director of EMEA Markets before being appointed Group Marketing Director in 2013.

In 2014, she became Director of Customer Experience at the Aéroport de Paris group.

In 2018, she took her first steps at Moët Hennessy as Director of Customer Relations, before being appointed in 2021 as Managing Director of MHD (Moët Hennessy-Diego) France, “leading the transition (in 2025, editor’s note) to Moët Hennessy France.”

Tense context for Moët Hennessy

These two appointments come at a tense time. On April 30, Jean-Jacques Guiony and Alexandre Arnault, referring to a “very difficult” situation, unveiled to staff a plan to reduce Moët Hennessy’s workforce (Moët & Chandon, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Krug, and Mercier champagnes) by 13% and to focus marketing budgets on the world’s biggest brands.

The division has been particularly affected by trade tensions weighing on the key American and Chinese markets and the continuing weakness of the cognac market. This summer’s 15% increase in US customs duties is hitting hard those spirits that are deeply attached to their terroir and impossible to relocate.

Jean-Marc Gallot joins Paris Football Club

As for Jean-Marc Gallot, he is not disappearing from the “Arnault” galaxy. However, he will be working in a completely different field from that of wines and spirits.

“He will continue to bring his expertise to the Arnault family, the majority shareholder of Paris Football Club,” explains the press release. His appointment as Chief Executive Officer will be proposed at the next Paris Football Club board meeting.

“Through his leadership and vision, Jean-Marc has had a considerable impact on the development of Veuve Clicquot, while also being deeply involved in the transformation of Moët Hennessy,“ commented Jean-Jacques Guiony, who wished to ”thank him for his contribution over the past 11 years“ and said he was ”eager to see him bring his energy and expertise to the new chapter of Paris Football Club.”