Michel Puchercos now CEO of Lafarge Africa

Michel Puchercos has been appointed the new group managing director/CEO of Lafarge Africa plc.

A French national, Puchercos, who replaces Peter Hoddinott, has worked in South Korea, Kenya and Uganda, Tanzania, and France, and speaks various languages including French, English, Korean, Spanish and Swahili.

Michel started his career in 1982 at the French Ministry of Agriculture, where he was head of two departments. He left the ministry after seven years to other companies as general manager and executive vice president in the biochemistry and food industry.

He joined Lafarge as head of strategy and purchasing in Orsan, Lafarge Biochemistry, and in 1998 became director of cement strategy and information systems, Lafarge Gypsum. In 2003, Michel became the director of cement strategy, Lafarge Group in France.

In 2005, he moved into cement operations as the CEO for Lafarge operations in Kenya and Uganda while doubling as the chairman of Tanzania operations. While in this role, he was the head of African Health as well as supply chain management committees for East and South-East Africa.

After four years in the Sub-Saharan Africa, Michel moved to Asia as the president and CEO of Lafarge South Korea, where he remained for seven years. While in this role, he was also a special advisor to the chairman as well as a board member at Aso Cement in Japan.

Michel is a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique, and the National School of Rural Engineering, Waterways & Forests, France. He is married with three children.

Meanwhile the board of directors last Thursday, in line with shareholders’ resolution held on July 9, 2014, approved the acquisition of the additional 50 percent equity interest in the United Cement Company of Nigeria on the same terms as the initial acquisition of 35 percent.

The equity interest is currently held by Egyptian Cement Holdings B.V (ECH), an entity that is jointly owned by LafargeHolcim Group and Lafarge Africa plc. LafargeHolcim’s interest in ECH is held through Holcibel SA and it is from Holcibel that Lafarge Africa will be acquiring the shares.

The board of directors has also approved the issue of 413,175,709 ordinary shares of the company as full consideration for the acquisition.

At the conclusion of the transaction, Lafarge Africa Plc will own an indirect interest of 100 percent of the issued share capital of Unicem.

Odinaka Anudu