PARIS: Building materials giant Lafarge has appointed Denis Berthu
as its new communications director.
Berthu took up the post this week. He replaces Jacques Suart, who left
last month to join retail group Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PR Week, 30
October).
He reports to group chairman Bertrand Collomb and oversees a team of
around 20 people covering all internal and external PR except investor
relations, which is handled separately by the group’s finance
department.
Lafarge is restructuring its operations along five product lines
worldwide and Berthu will communicate this. He plans to appoint
dedicated PR officers to the new divisions.
Berthu said: ’The intention behind my appointment is to reorganise the
group’s communication according to sectors - roofing, cement, concrete,
plaster and speciality products.’
Lafarge uses Ecocom for financial PR and two agencies, CLC Communication
and Media et Compagnie, for media relations. Berthu said he did not
expect to review this.
Previously, Berthu was communications director at French car parts firm
Valeo for eight years, overseeing an eight-strong team. He held the same
post at drinks company Pernod Ricard before that.
Last September Lefarge reported an annual turnover of almost pounds 5
billion, up 52.1 per cent on last year.
