CHRISTIAN DONZEL

About CHRISTIAN DONZEL

Christian Donzel is one of the historic co-founders of Visiativ, a French-listed company known for helping industrial and mid-sized businesses accelerate digital transformation. His background is rooted in engineering and technical training: he studied at CNAM and IFG, then spent 17 years in the engineering department of Rhône-Poulenc. In 1987, he turned to entrepreneurship in Lyon, taking the first step in what would later become the Visiativ story. Together with Laurent Fiard, Donzel helped build the group from the late 1990s onward. The pair acquired AGS in France, which became Axemble, and then developed the platforms and offerings that defined Visiativ’s identity: the myCADservices platform, the VDoc collaborative suite, and a broader partner ecosystem. Their strategy combined software publishing, consulting, and long-term support for industrial customers seeking operational and digital modernization. In 2014, Christian Donzel and Laurent Fiard were publicly recognized when Visiativ listed on Alternext in Paris, where they rang the opening bell for the market. Within Visiativ’s governance, Donzel has held senior leadership responsibilities, including co-founder and deputy chief executive roles. He also took part in governance and compensation-related work, indicating an active role not only in operations but also in corporate oversight and executive structuring. This suggests a profile that blends entrepreneurial vision with governance discipline and strategic execution. In 2019, Donzel and Fiard received EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, highlighting the success of the company they built. His expertise sits at the crossroads of industrial engineering, software, consulting, and ecosystem building. Overall, Christian Donzel stands out as a key figure in French entrepreneurial and digital-industrial circles, having contributed materially to Visiativ’s growth and reputation as a digital transformation partner.