This is a management lesson that I will not forget

Luc Van Gorp was found this summer, to Bron in Lyon suburb, his Office of President and CEO of the Aosta France group, left a year earlier. In the meantime, company known for its brands Justin Bridou and Cochonou Deli is out of the basket of Sara Lee to pass in Smithfield, already owner of Jean Caby which Luc Van Gorp had become President in September 2005 in Lille. "My back is natural for Aosta teams." I was party because of a disagreement with my boss European era on the strategy chosen for the sale, knowing that the divestiture process was not yet formally engaged.

The importance of the relational

His good knowledge of the file has been valuable to Smithfield. "As soon as the firm apply, I I am invested in the operation", recognizes this Flemish born forty-one years in Turnhout, the capital of the Campine. The head of a unified management Committee, must now tackle the merger of two entities Aosta and Jean Caby, a set of 800 million euros of turnover and 4,700 employees. "Their activities are complementary but their culture is different." The first is declining lines of dry salted with a more commercial approach. The second, more industrial, is present in cooked meats. We let time to perform this important work of reconciliation.

Former pupil of the Jesuits formed the business on the banks of the University of Artevelde Hogeschool Ghent and Ehsal (higher European School of Brussels), Luc Van Gorp spent his entire career in the agri-food.

As soon as its completed studies, he joined in 1989 McCain, Turnhout, as Chief product. "Fashion was the light." "We had launched a juice Lite fruit which was a success, as the non-sparkling beverage under license Power Rangers, an idea which I had proposed," enjoy this outgoing follower of "three F", Family, Friends and Food. It remains in the juice with Tropicana Europe, it integrates in 1992 in Paris. "I arrived Monday morning at 8 p.m. as all Belgians." At 10 o'clock, I was on the plane in the direction of the Spain to give my opinion on a draft. Yves Dumont, CEO, asked me to call the same evening and he let me carte blanche when I told him was to review the editing. This is a management lesson that I will not forget.

Out of love for his wife, nostalgic of the Belgium, he returned to the country in 1993 as Director of marketing for United Distillers Belgium. He discovered both the universe of alcohols and the wholesalers: "A contact, I learned a lot about the importance of the relationship and how to talk with people." This music Eater "I has between 4,000 and 5,000 discs and CDs." "I like everything: jazz, reggae, rock, classic" made an incursion into the biscuits in his two years at Campbell Soup Belgium, from 1996 to 1998, always as a marketing director. It adopts the deli by entering in 1998 in Imperial, subsidiary Belgian of Sara Lee, as commercial Director. Four years later the CEO of Aosta France promotes home.