Patrick Thomas (businessman)

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Patrick Thomas
Born (1947-06-16) 16 June 1947 (age 76)
Burgundy region, France
EducationESCP Business School
OccupationBusinessman
TitleFormer CEO, Hermès
Term2003-2014
PredecessorJean-Louis Dumas
SuccessorAxel Dumas

Patrick Thomas (born 16 June 1947) is a French business executive. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the fashion house Hermès from 2003 to 2014.

Early life[edit]

Thomas was born on 16 June 1947, in the Burgundy region of France to a family of winemakers, and graduated from ESCP Business School.[1]

Career[edit]

Thomas started his career in 1969 at International Telephone & Telegraph, a US manufacturing company.[2] In 1971, he joined Pampryl, a French fruit juice producer founded by his grandfather, and then owned by Pernod Ricard.[2] In 1980, he became chief financial officer (CFO) of Pernod Ricard, and later the UK managing director.[2]

In 1989, he joined Hermès as chief operating officer (COO), and left in 1997 to become CEO of Lancaster Group, a cosmetics company, and then became the first non-family member to be CEO of the scotch whisky producer William Grant & Sons.[2][3]

Thomas became CEO of Hermès in 2003, following the retirement of Jean-Louis Dumas,[2][4] until January 2014, when he retired, and was succeeded by Axel Dumas, a sixth-generation member of the Hermès-Dumas family.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Hermès' Patrick Thomas: A high-fashion balancing act". The Globe and Mail.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Hazlehurst, Jeremy (4 December 2014). "The business guru: Patrick Thomas, former chief executive of Hermès". Financial Times. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  3. ^ Cope, Rebecca (4 February 2014). "Hermes CEO Patrick Thomas retires". Harper's BAZAAR.
  4. ^ Mau, Dhani. "New Hermès CEO Has Pretty Big Shoes to Fill". Fashionista.