On this Friday 29 September, the Co-operative’s Board of Directors elected Bernard Guillard Chairman of Agrial. Arnaud Degoulet has now completed 11 years as Chairman, marked by a strong growth and the success of many structuring projects. After a year of transition, Bernard Guillard thus becomes the third Chairman of Agrial in 23 years, after Gilbert Herpe (2000-2012) and Arnaud Degoulet (2012-2023).
Bernard Guillard, 55, is a vegetable grower in Beauvoir (in Normandy), at the foot of Mont-Saint-Michel. A lifelong farming enthusiast, he joined the family farm in 1986 and has been in partnership with his son since 2022. Elected member of the Agralco co-operative since 1995, Bernard Guillard has been a Board member of Agrial since its creation in 2000. He has been
Chairman of the Vegetbles FO and a member of the Co-operative’s Executive Offi ce since 2004, before being elected 1st Vice-Chairman in 2012. Finally, in anticipation of Arnaud Degoulet’s
retirement, Agrial’s Board of Directors elected him Deputy Chairman in May 2022. Bernard Guillard was offi cially elected Chairman of Agrial by the Board of Directors on 29 September in
Caen (Normandy).
Pork and cereals producer in Noyen-sur-Sarthe (in the Pays de la French Loire region) , Arnaud Degoulet set up alongside its parents on the familly farm in 1987 and has been in partnership
with his son since 2022. Elected within its local co-operative (CADS) as soon as he set up, he was appointed 1st Vice-Chairman in 2005, which became Union Set following its merger with the
CAT (Coopérative Agricole de Touraine / Agricultural Co-operative of Touraine). Arnaud Degoulet was elected Chairman of Union Set at the end of 2006 and was the driving force behind the
merger with Agrial in 2009. He was Chairman of Agrial since 2012 ans also 1st Vice-Chairman of La Coopération Agricole since 2018.
Arnaud Degoulet has been a great Chairman of Agrial. He has always placed the interests of the Co-operative’s members at the very heart
of his actions, and has been the orchestrator of the Group’s agri-food and international development, working in pairs with Ludovic Spiers, with whom he formed a complementary and eff ective duo. In addition to international growth, his presidency was undeniably marked by the agri-food development of the Meat and Dairy divisions, the latter in conjunction with highly structuring co-operative mergers (Elle-et-Vire, Coralis, Eurial). With all the Board members, we formed a united team and shared all the major decisions.
I would like to thank all our farmer members and Board members for their confidence, renewed every year for more than a decade. I would also like to thank all the Group’s employees for their daily commitment, as well as Ludovic Spiers and the management team, in whom I have had complete confidence. I’m delighted with what we’ve achieved together, and I’m confident that the team now led by Bernard will rise to the challenge.
As it has already been done in 2011-2012 when Gilbert Herpe left the Co-operative, and in anticipation of Arnaud Degoulet’s retirement, Agrial’s Board of Directors has elected Bernard
Guillard Deputy Chairman of the Co-operative until May 2022, and Chairman since 29 September. A Board member since 2000 and 1st Vice-Chairman since 2012, Bernard Guillard will continue in the same role, supported by a management team led by Ludovic Spiers, Chief Executive Officer, and an unchanged Board of Director, comprising the following members:
Board of Agrial:
