ERIC VALLAT

About ERIC VALLAT

Éric Vallat is a French executive with a strong track record across luxury, fashion and spirits. A graduate of HEC Paris in 1993, he began his career in investment banking before joining Louis Vuitton, where he quickly moved into operational leadership. He was appointed Managing Director of Louis Vuitton France and later of Europe, and in 2004 became President and Representative Director of Christian Dior Couture Japan. This early career gave him deep international exposure and a broad command of brand management, retail execution and team leadership across demanding markets. After returning to Paris in 2008, Vallat became Chairman of Bonpoint, where he spent several years helping develop the brand. He also served as Managing Director of J.M. Weston from 2009 to 2012 on behalf of the EPI Group. These roles reinforced his profile as a luxury-house operator capable of balancing heritage, selective growth and commercial discipline. In January 2014, he joined Rémy Cointreau as Chief Executive Officer of Rémy Martin, one of France’s most iconic cognac houses. There, he was responsible for the overall leadership of the Maison, with a focus on premium positioning, brand desirability and the long-term protection of value in an evolving global spirits market. Vallat later joined the Rémy Cointreau Group Executive Committee and became Chairman of Mount Gay Rum in 2016, broadening his oversight beyond cognac into the wider premium spirits portfolio. In September 2019, Rémy Cointreau appointed him Group Chief Executive Officer. Over more than five years at the helm, he led the group through a strategy centered on value creation, brand equity and premiumization, in a challenging international context. In April 2025, Rémy Cointreau announced that he would step down that summer to pursue a new professional project. Shortly afterward, Lacoste announced his appointment as CEO, effective September 1, 2025. Vallat’s career is notable for its consistency: he has repeatedly been trusted to lead heritage brands, strengthen their positioning, and guide them through strategic transformation while preserving their identity.