Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, October 2025 — Sodexo’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Thierry Delaporte as Group Chief Executive Officer effective November 10, 2025. This follows the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, after a thorough selection process, coordinated with the Bellon family.
This governance evolution will reinforce Sodexo’s leadership as the company enters a new phase of its development, following Sophie Bellon’s four-year tenure as Chief Executive Officer. As part of the evolution of the governance structure, the role of Chairwoman of the Board of Directors will be separated from that of Chief Executive Officer. Sophie Bellon will act as Non-Executive Chairwoman for the duration of her mandate and will ensure a smooth transition with Thierry Delaporte.
Consistent with governance best practices, the Board of Directors will maintain the Lead Director position. Gilles Pélisson, Chair of the Nominating Committee, will succeed Luc Messier as Lead Independent Director, effective November 10, 2025.
Sophie Bellon, Sodexo Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and CEO, said:
“Over the past years, we have successfully carried out major structural changes. I am deeply grateful to the Sodexo teams for their engagement and hard work. We are ready to open a new chapter in the growth history of the Company. In preparation for this next phase, we engaged a while ago into a governance reflection and started working on a succession process for the CEO role. I, together with the Board and my family, have full confidence in Thierry Delaporte’s leadership. He will be fully empowered to drive the next stage of Sodexo’s development. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Luc Messier for his important role as Lead Independent Director.”
Gilles Pélisson, Independent Director and Chair of the Nominating Committee, added:
“Thierry Delaporte’s appointment is the result of a collaborative and structured process. Thierry Delaporte emerged as the best leader to drive the next stages of Sodexo’s growth. He has extensive experience in driving international and people intensive businesses, combined with a deep understanding of the U.S. market, a proven track record in delivering strong and profitable growth, and a strong fit with Sodexo’s values. We want to express our most sincere gratitude to Sophie for her decisive action over the recent years.”
François-Xavier Bellon, Chairman of the Management Board of Bellon SA, commented:
“The dissociation of governance is a new step forward. We are excited to welcome Thierry Delaporte as the new CEO of Sodexo. Thierry Delaporte has all the skills and relevant experience to take Sodexo to the next level. He can count on the full support of Bellon SA to achieve the ambitious plan he will design. Our common ambition will be to drive enhanced growth, improve profit margin and strengthen market share. The Bellon family is grateful for Sophie’s structural bold decisions as CEO.”
Thierry Delaporte, incoming CEO, Sodexo, said:
“I am delighted to become the next CEO of Sodexo, a global leader in food and services which is a model of entrepreneurial success, that I have always admired. I am grateful to the Board of Directors, the Bellon family and Sophie Bellon for their trust. I approach this new opportunity with a high level of enthusiasm and energy and I am eager to meet the Sodexo teams, clients and partners.”
About Thierry Delaporte
With a career marked by international leadership across Europe, the U.S., South America, and Asia-Pacific, Thierry Delaporte is a seasoned global executive with extensive experience in financial leadership, operational transformation, business development, and strategic sales — particularly in B2B service environments.
He began his career at Arthur Andersen before joining Capgemini in 1995, where he held CFO roles across Europe, Asia, Australia-New Zealand and the U.S., building strong capabilities in financial management. From 2009 onward, he held several operational roles at Capgemini in the U.S. — including CEO of the Global Outsourcing Division and CEO of the Financial Services Global Business Unit, where he oversaw the integration of iGate, highlighting his expertise in M&A and post-merger integration.
In 2016, Thierry Delaporte joined the Capgemini Leadership Team and served as Global COO and Deputy CEO from 2018 to 2020. In 2020, he was appointed CEO of Wipro Ltd., a global IT services leader. Over four years, he led a strategic repositioning of the company, transforming its operating model, organizational structure, and market approach, driving accelerated growth and profitability improvement.
Thierry Delaporte is also committed to social impact. He co-founded Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y), an organization focused on youth inclusion. He serves on the Board of Saint-Gobain. He holds degrees from Sciences Po Paris and in Law. He is married and has four children.
About Sodexo
Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in sustainable food and valued experiences at every moment in life: learn, work, heal and play. The Group stands out for its independence, founding family shareholding, and responsible business model.
Thanks to its two activities — Food and Facilities Management Services — Sodexo meets all the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of employees and those it serves, and to contribute to economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where it operates.
For Sodexo, growth and social commitment go hand in hand. Its purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, Bloomberg France 40, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good, and DJSI.
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