Groupe Gorgé is rewarded for its ESG policy and strengthens its governance

Significant improvement in the Gaïa ESG rating

The results of the 2022 Gaïa Rating campaign were unveiled in October 2022. As part of its evaluation campaign, the extra-financial rating agency EthiFinance reviewed the responsible investment performance of 384 listed SMEs and SMIs, according to demanding and quantitative criteria.

Thanks to the development and implementation of its ESG policy, Groupe Gorgé has improved its score by 8 points this year, reaching 66/100, thus ranking 19^th in its category[1]. Thanks to this improvement, Groupe Gorgé has been awarded a silver medal for its 2021 extra-financial performance.

This is the fifth consecutive year of improvement in the rating, which has risen again this year thanks to progress on the four pillars of the Gaïa assessment: Environment, Social, Governance and External Stakeholders.

Groupe Gorgé intends to continue this trajectory of continuous improvement in its extra-financial performance. The next step in December will strengthen the group’s governance.

 

Appointment of two new independent directors

On Monday, Groupe Gorgé convened the Combined General Meeting that will be held on December 8 to vote on the simplification of its activities and the adoption of a new identity, Exail Technologies. The documents relating to this General Meeting are available on the company’s website (www.exail-technologies.com/shareholders-meetings). In particular, they include the report of the independent expert certifying the fair valuation of the Engineering & Protection Systems division and the fairness of the conditions of the transaction for all Groupe Gorgé shareholders.

 At this General Meeting, Groupe Gorgé will also propose the appointment of two new independent directors, Julie Avrane and Pierre Verzat. Their expertise in cutting-edge industrial sectors, including the defense sector, will strengthen the Board of Directors in its work on the group’s activities. They will also bring their experience in strategy, growth, mergers and acquisitions, post-merger integration and transformation plans in the technology industry. These skills are particularly relevant in the current context of the structuring of the new leading industrial champion, Exail, formed by the combination of the ECA Group and iXblue.

Subject to the approval of the General Assembly, the Board of Directors will be composed of 9 members with 63% independent and 50% women[2].

 

 Biographies of Julie Avrane and Pierre Verzat

Julie Avrane is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Paris and of the Collège des Ingénieurs. She also holds an MBA from INSEAD. As a senior partner in McKinsey & Company’s Paris office, where she worked from 1999 to July 2020, Julie Avrane led the firm’s Advanced Industries practice in France (advanced electronics, aerospace and defense, automotive and assembly industries). She also co-managed the High Tech and Telecom Practice Group at the European level.

Prior to joining McKinsey’s Paris office, Julie Avrane worked as a researcher for Bull Honeywell in the United States in 1993 and for Cogema (Areva) in 1994, and as a business analyst in McKinsey’s London office for two years from 1995 to 1997.

Pierre Verzat is an engineer from Ecole Polytechnique and ENSTA, and started his career in 1986 as a naval engineer specialized in nuclear propulsion. In 1992 he became CEO of BEA (Dalkia Group), before joining the AREVA group as CEO of ELTA and then SVP Industry, Transport and Environment of Technicatome. He joined the EADS group in 2005 as SVP Engineering and Industry of Astrium Space Transportation and then as Chief Operating Officer of Astrium Space Services. Since 2011 he has been Chairman of the Management Board of the SYSTRA Group.

Pierre Verzat received the European CEO of the Year award in 2016 from the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) in the UK. He is a Knight of the Legion of Honor. Since 2018, he has been President of Syntec-Ingénierie.

 

[1] Category including companies evaluated with revenues between 150 and 500 M€, i.e. 82 companies.

[2] In accordance with the corporate governance code for listed companies, the director representing the employees (Céline Leroy) is not counted to establish these percentages.