Rémy Cointreau appoints Franck Marilly as CEO 

FRANCE – French spirits group Rémy Cointreau has announced the appointment of Franck Marilly as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 25 June 2025, succeeding Éric Vallat, who will step down as planned.  

The leadership transition comes at a critical juncture for the company as it seeks to revive growth and strengthen its market position amid a complex macroeconomic environment. 

Marie-Amélie de Leusse, Chairwoman of Rémy Cointreau’s Board of Directors, expressed confidence in Marilly’s capabilities: “We are convinced that he will bring a new dynamic and will be able to confidently address the new challenges of the group’s growth in a complex macroeconomic and geopolitical context.” 

Marilly joins the French spirits house from Shiseido, where he served as President and CEO of the EMEA region and led the global fragrance division. His extensive career also includes nearly 17 years at Chanel, where he held multiple senior roles, including CEO of the EMEA fragrance and beauty division.  

Earlier in his career, he led the fragrance division at Unilever France and held general management roles in international subsidiaries. 

Rémy Cointreau, owner of the Bruichladdich Scotch whisky and Rémy Martin Cognac brands, stated that Marilly brings “solid experience in international management, which is crucial for the global success of the group, as well as his deep knowledge of its key markets.” 

Upon his appointment, Marilly stated, “I will leverage my experience to pursue the group’s value strategy and support the teams in a dynamic of sustainable performance. Together, we will continue to accelerate the Group’s development, capitalising in particular on the excellence of its know-how and its capacity for innovation.” 

Marilly’s leadership begins as Rémy Cointreau addresses a challenging fiscal period, having reported an 18% decline in organic sales last year.  

The company attributed the drop to soft demand in China, impacted by an anti-dumping investigation and low consumer confidence, which hurt Rémy Martin Cognac sales.  

The Cognac division saw a 32.8% drop in sales in the fourth quarter ending March 2025. 

Despite setbacks in Asia, the company noted a sharp rebound in Cognac sales in the US, providing some optimism.  

Rémy Cointreau will release its full-year results in June and has maintained its 2024–25 operating margin forecast of 21% to 22% on an organic basis. 

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