JACQUES GOUNON

About JACQUES GOUNON

Jacques Gounon is one of the key governance figures at Getlink SE, the European infrastructure and mobility group best known for the Channel Tunnel concession held through its Eurotunnel subsidiary. He is a graduate of École Polytechnique and an engineer from the Corps des Ponts et Chaussées, a background that reflects the combination of technical rigor, public-sector exposure, and strategic discipline often found among senior French executives in regulated infrastructure businesses. In Getlink’s 2025 Universal Registration Document, he is identified as Chairman of the Board, a non-independent director, and a member of the Ethics and CSR Committee as well as the Safety and Security Committee. The same document shows a 100% attendance rate at board and committee meetings, underscoring his continued involvement in oversight. His career at Getlink has been long and influential. He previously held top executive responsibilities, including serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, before the company separated the roles of Chairman and CEO effective 1 July 2020. At that point, Yann Leriche became Chief Executive Officer, while Jacques Gounon remained Chairman of the Board. Getlink explicitly stated that Gounon had led the company for more than 15 years and had guided it through a major turnaround after it faced severe challenges. The company also credited him with helping transform the business and with surpassing the objectives set in 2007. During his leadership, Getlink strengthened its position as a strategic cross-Channel infrastructure operator, navigating major headwinds including fire incidents, migration pressures, and Brexit-related disruption. The group’s communications have consistently framed Gounon’s tenure as one focused on long-term value creation, operational resilience, and governance quality. In recent years, Getlink has continued to articulate ambitious growth targets through 2030, reflecting the durable industrial and financial platform that has been built under the governance framework he helped shape. Jacques Gounon is therefore closely associated with Getlink’s evolution from a challenged concession business into a more robust, forward-looking infrastructure group.