The appointment of Hervé Gastinel as CEO of PONANT, effective March 29, 2021, confirms the company's ambition to become the market leader in luxury cruises and the world leader in sustainable tourism. PONANT, a subsidiary of Artemis since 2015, is thus entering a new chapter in its development. In the last five years, the company has taken a significant step forward, doubling its fleet. It now has twelve (soon to be thirteen) vessels, including Le Ponant, the historic sailing ship, and Le Commandant Charcot, the world's first hybrid-electric polar exploration vessel powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is scheduled for delivery in a few months.
For over thirty years, driven by a specific vision of the sea, PONANT has been taking its passengers to exceptional destinations, following in the footsteps of the great explorers. At the same time, it has continued to implement its strategy of innovation and excellence, which has made its fleet a symbol of the French art of living.
François Pinault, founder and CEO of Artemis, stated: “I am delighted with the arrival of Hervé Gastinel. He is a true sailing enthusiast who possesses all the necessary skills to transform this wonderful company and facilitate the resumption of operations. After a challenging year, the coming months will be crucial in accelerating Ponant's development in the years to come.” He also expressed his gratitude to “that visionary creator, Jean Emmanuel Sauvée,” the outgoing CEO of Ponant.
Born near the sea to a Breton mother, a philosophy professor, and a Mediterranean father, a naval engineer, Hervé Gastinel is truly passionate about the sea and boats. After studying management at ESSEC, finance at Dauphine, and public administration at Sciences Po and ENA, he worked on various projects at the General Inspectorate of Finance before becoming a technical advisor to the President of the French Senate, responsible for economics, finance, and new technologies. He led the Beneteau Group, a world leader in recreational boats, from 2015 to 2019. He also remains a senior advisor at the consulting firm EIM.
