Paris, 16th April 2009
In keeping with the priority challenges stated by the group during the publication of its 2008 annual results. and following its international development strategies, Demos continues to strengthen its management structure and today announces Emmanuel Courtois's appointment as Chief Operating Officer.
Previously the Group's Chief Financial OfficerEmmanuel Courtois will now be tasked with supervising:
- The Group's Finance Division,
- The Legal Affairs Department,
- The Human Resources Division.
- The Information Systems Division,
- The General Services and Logistics Departments.
He is similarly charged with implementing a Sales Administration Department in France.
On the occasion of this nomination, Jean Wemaëre, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated that: “I am delighted to appoint Emmanuel Courtois to join me as the Chief Operating Officer. Emmanuel knows the business well and represents an indispensable benefit for our company. His wealthy experience and professional expertise stand as remarkable skills to assumethis major responsibility within the Company. I am confident in his experience and his organizational and management skills to give a new impetus to the Executive Board.”
Emmanuel Courtois, 42 years old, is a graduate from the Lyon Management School and holds the DESCF certification. Since September 2003, Emmanuel Courtois has been Chief Operating Officer for the Demos Group. From 1991 to 1999, Emmanuel Courtois successively exercised several roles – including that of Missions Director – for KPMG in France and the United States, and then continued his career with the ECS Group as Director of Audits and Organisation.
About the Demos group
An industry leader positioned centrally in the operational knowledge economy
The Demos group is an essential global player in professional training, Relying on its core business, professional training continues in all its forms (presential and distance trainings), Demos has developed innovative and complementary training methods like e-learning. Other activities associated with the knowledge industry similarly enrich the group's offerings, most notably including HR-driven skills management and the dissemination of educational materials.
A successful business model that is reproducible on the international scale
Located in 16 countries and in all the major cities in France, Demos has demonstrated its ability to combine strong organic growth with efficient external growth policies, an ability which enables it to assist its customers in international markets and to develop local customer bases. Operating in a growth market, the diversity of its offerings, its demanding quality standards, a continued focus on innovative research and a flexible business model have made this Group a market leader in professional training.
A constant and profitable pattern of growth
In 2008, the Demos group achieved revenues of 97.4 million euros, a growth of 24.5% over 2007 with operating profits of 8.7 million euros and group net profits of 4.0 million euros.