Max Koeune

About Max Koeune

Max Koeune is an internationally experienced business leader with deep expertise in finance, strategic development, and corporate governance. A graduate of ESCP Europe, he began his career in 1995 at Baring Brothers as an M&A specialist. That early exposure to mergers and acquisitions gave him a strong foundation in financial advisory, transaction structuring, and value creation, skills that would shape the rest of his career. He joined Danone in 1998 within the Corporate Development team and quickly moved through increasingly senior roles with broader operational and international scope. In 2005, he was appointed Finance Vice President of Bonafont, Danone’s bottled-water business in Mexico. In 2008, he became Finance Vice President for Danone’s Americas division, and from 2009 to 2012 he served as Group Head of Corporate Development, contributing to the group’s growth strategy and capital allocation decisions. In January 2013, Max Koeune joined McCain Foods Limited as Chief Financial Officer. His career then advanced significantly in 2017, when he was appointed President & CEO of the Canadian food group, a role he continues to hold today. This progression reflects a profile that combines financial rigor with operational leadership and a long-term strategic mindset. At McCain, he has been responsible for key priorities such as industrial performance, organizational effectiveness, portfolio strategy, and sustainable value creation across a global food business. Since 2023, Max Koeune has also served as an independent director of Pernod Ricard. In that role, he brings a strong understanding of consumer markets, transformation challenges, and the governance expectations of large listed companies. His career path, spanning investment banking, corporate development, finance leadership, and general management, makes him a highly relevant board member for complex multinational groups seeking disciplined oversight and strategic insight.