Bureau Veritas has appointed Hinda Gharbi as its new chief executive.
She is believed to be the first woman to lead a member of the International Association of Classification Societies.
Gharbi joined the French testing, certification and inspection giant as chief operating officer in May 2022. In what appears to be a fast-track promotion through the executive board, she was appointed deputy chief executive in January this year and then chief executive, succeeding Didier Michaud-Daniel.
An electrical engineering graduate from the Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Ingenieurs Electriciens de Grenoble, she spent 26 years working in engineering, management and executive positions for the Schlumberger Group, a global technology company operating in the energy sector.
Gharbi said engineering remains her passion despite her success as an executive.
“It’s a world which sparks my curiosity and is still very much enjoyable today,” she said.
“Wanting to travel the world, I joined the energy sector, working in offshore fields in Nigeria. It was an opportunity firsthand to see what it takes to solve complex technical problems in the most remote of places.”
Bureau Veritas covers a wide variety of industries. Its marine and offshore classification services represent around €400m ($437m) of a total of nearly €6bn annual revenue. Matthieu de Tugny continues as president of BV's marine and offshore business including classification activities.
Gharbi said that in travelling the world and working with different cultures, she has developed an understanding of the value of diversity.
One of her goals as chief executive is to encourage talent.
“I think that an open, meritocratic environment can make every undertaking richer and more impactful. I believe that organisations that excel in finding and growing exceptional talent where they work are destined for leadership,” she said.
“I’m also convinced our ability to learn and innovate is boundless. A culture that encourages learning and values creativity creates a unique environment for innovation.”
Sustainability, which has been a key growth area for the marine business, will also be central to the company’s future: “I want us to lead our sector by being innovative and customer-centric and by putting sustainability at the core of what we do.”
Laurent Mignon has been appointed Bureau Veritas chairman.
