Gilles GOBIN

About Gilles GOBIN

Gilles Gobin is one of the founding figures of Rubis, a Paris-listed French group active in energy distribution, fuels, LPG, bitumen and related businesses. He plays a central role in the group’s governance as Chairman of the Management Board and Managing Partner, within a partnership structure that separates day-to-day management from shareholder oversight. This model has remained a defining feature of Rubis and reflects the long-term, entrepreneurial approach promoted by its founders. Before founding Rubis in 1990 with Jacques Riou, Gilles Gobin built a strong background in corporate finance. Rubis states that he began his career at Crédit Commercial de France in 1977 and joined the Executive Committee in 1986 as head of Corporate Finance. That banking experience gave him recognized expertise in financial structuring, complex transactions and value creation through disciplined capital allocation and external growth. Under his leadership, Rubis expanded step by step by combining financial discipline, sector diversification and geographic growth. The group now operates in more than 40 countries, especially in Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. Gilles Gobin’s strategic approach has long been based on niche positions, essential services and prudent capital deployment. This has helped transform Rubis into a benchmark player in energy distribution while preserving a strong entrepreneurial culture. Among the major decisions associated with his governance is Rubis’s external-growth strategy, including the development of Rubis Terminal and the opening of new growth drivers, notably in transition-related activities. The group has also been carrying out a multi-year succession process for its founders, including the appointment of Clarisse Gobin-Swiecznik to the management of Sorgema in 2023, while Gilles Gobin remains involved in steering continuity. His career illustrates a long-term corporate governance model built on stability, strategic independence and sustainable value creation.