Rodolphe Belmer Tapped As New Atos CEO

‘In view of the challenges facing Atos, we have appointed Rodolphe Belmer for his strategic acumen and his proven leadership and operational efficiency, as well as his ability to successfully lead complex transformations,’ says Bertrand Meunier, chairman of Atos’ board of directors, in a statement.

Rodolphe Belmer has been appointed CEO of Paris, France-based global solution provider Atos after its current CEO Elie Girard resigned.

It was not immediately clear why Girard resigned from his role. CRN reached out to Atos for comment but had not heard back by press time.

Over the past two years, Atos has launched a comprehensive growth and transformation program but hasn’t been without some setbacks.

In April, Atos took a huge stock hit, dropping more than 21.6 percent in a single day, after disclosing that auditors discovered accounting errors in its two U.S. subsidiaries.

The solution provider also cut its 2021 revenue goals in July, attributing it to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Belmer is currently the CEO of Paris, France-based satellite operator Eutelsat and previously led French T.V. station Canal+.

“The Board of Directors warmly thanks Elie Girard for the deep transformation work he has undertaken over the past two years and his management for the group and its employees during the COVID crisis,” Bertrand Meunier, chairman of Atos’ board of directors, said in a statement. ”In view of the challenges facing Atos, we have appointed Rodolphe Belmer for his strategic acumen and his proven leadership and operational efficiency, as well as his ability to successfully lead complex transformations.”

[Related: Atos Continues Cybersecurity Buying Spree With In Fidem Acquisition]

Belmer, 52, will step into the role no later than Jan. 22, 2022, and will help Atos accelerate its strategy to strengthen its position in digital, cloud, security and decarbonization, according to a news release.

The transformation will also further Atos’ strategies in research and innovation.

Pierre Barnabe and Adrian Gregory, both of whom are senior executive vice presidents, have been appointed as interim co-CEOs starting on Oct. 25, according to the news release.

In July, Atos was looking to sell some of its legacy business operations in an effort to focus on developing its business in faster-growing parts of the IT market, according to a Bloomberg report.

The report stated that Atos was exploring a sale of its legacy information technology business including outsourcing operations to divest some lower-margin parts of its business.