Sodexo appoints Sophie Bellon as CEO

Sophie Bellon has worked held various senior roles at Sodexo since joining the company in 1994, most recently as Chairwoman and interim CEO of the company | Photo credit: Sodexo

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Sodexo has appointed its Chairwoman, Sophie Bellon, to lead the group’s next phase of development as CEO – a position she has held on an interim basis since October 2021.
 
Bellon first joined Sodexo in 1994 and has held various senior roles in the company, including CEO of Sodexo’s Corporate Services and Head of Facilities Management activities in France. She is also the daughter of the Sodexo’s late founder, Pierre Bellon, who died on 31 January 2022.
 
In a press release, Sodexo said Bellon was the right person to achieve “perfect alignment” in defining and executing Sodexo’s strategy. She is also a strong advocate for the foodservice industry and committed to ensuring social value, the company added.
 
“The principles that will guide my actions will be loyalty to Sodexo's values, entrepreneurial spirit, as well as efficiency and speed of execution. More than ever, I am committed to reinvigorating Sodexo's growth path, which has been part of the Group's DNA since its creation. Together with my family, we reaffirm our long-term commitment to maintaining control of Sodexo and supporting its development.”
 
Sodexo started 2022 in a strong position, posting an 18.8% rise in first quarter revenues to €5.3bn ($6bn) and reporting that business activity had returned to 95% of pre-Covid levels. In October 2021, the company reported annual revenues of ($20.2bn) – 87% of 2019 levels.
 
2021 saw the company sign deals with major coffee companies, including a 10-year workplace hospitality deal with For Five Coffee Roasters in the US and a three-year workplace partnership with the UK specialty roaster, Origin Coffee.
 
In January 2022, Sodexo acquired Texas-based vending and catering firm, Frontline Food Services, to better serve new and existing customers in the US market.