Jacques Saadé, founder and chairman of the CMA CGM Group, has appointed his son Rodolphe Saadé to succeed him as chief executive officer of the group.
“Rodolphe has proven himself over the years, and he has my deepest trust as chief executive officer of the group,” said Jacques Saadé, who made the announcement on his 80th birthday. “I know that, with Rodolphe as CEO, with Farid Salem and Tanya Saadé Zeenny, our executive officers, and all our teams around the world, the group will continue its development with the same commitment and passion.”
Rodolphe Saadé joined the company is 1994. He was appointed executive officer in 2004. In 2010, he was appointed vice chairman and member of the board of directors. After CMA CGM’s acquisition of Singapore’s Neptune Orient Lines in 2015, he also became president of NOL’s board of directors in June 2016.
The Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement, or CMA, as it was then known, was established by Jacques Saadé in September 1978 after having moved from Lebanon to Marseille, according to CMA CGM.