The Galeries Lafayette shops managed by HPB are now managed by Michel Maire

By

Marion Deslandes

Published
May 2, 2023

A new manager is taking over Hermione Retail, the company that oversees the 26 Galeries Lafayette department stores owned by Hermione People & Brands since 2018 and 2021. Turnaround specialist Michel Maire has been appointed as CEO and will be replacing Eric Damiron, who retired after working for HPB for five years.

A member of 'Dirigeants et Investisseurs', a firm which helps companies in difficulty, Michel Maire has already worked in the fashion sector, with Jennyfer in 2018, before it was bought out by Sébastien Bismuth and a consortium of investors.

He now heads Hermione Retail, the company which was placed under safeguard procedure by the Bordeaux Commercial Court on February 22, 2023, with a six-month observation period. HPB's objective is "to draw up and implement a safeguard plan that will enable it to maintain its activity, preserve employment and pay off its liabilities, under the protection of the court," the parent company stated when the decision was handed down.

Located in French regions including Pau, Niort, Caen, Besançon, Beauvais and more, the 25 outlets operated under the Galeries Lafayette banner via the franchise employ 1,109 people.

After the liquidation of Camaïeu in autumn 2022, Go Sport just being sold to Intersport, while La Grande Récré and the Gap France stores are in the process of finding buyers, it seems the Ohayon empire is on the rocks.