Share
Christian Roulleau, Samsic Group Founding President, has just been awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The award ceremony was held on Tuesday 15 October at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, France.
For almost 30 years, the yearly EY award has given recognition to outstanding business leaders who innovate, and create value and employment. Christian Roulleau, who started from scratch 33 years ago, was a sure candidate in the competition: he is now one of the leaders in integrated business services.
"I am very proud to have created more than 90,000 jobs across the world. Samsic is a huge family and I am fully aware that I am surrounded by remarkable women and men who do their utmost, every day, to satisfy our customers: that's my biggest achievement."
Nothing has ever stood in the way of this influential CEO: he started out with two vocational qualifications, then took his destiny in his own hands to fulfil the dream of becoming his own boss. His unwavering taste for success and knowledge transfer drove him to create the robust, independent and highly committed group that is Samsic today.
"Nowadays, a CEO's job entails much more than excellent financial results. Clearly, we now have to ask ourselves what we really want to achieve through our work. I have always been highly committed; probably because I've never forgotten where I come from."
Christian Roulleau is a humanitarian who defends causes which are important to him, especially health issues and brain disease research. He works to support the disabled, the fight against illiteracy, and has been a French Diversity Charter signatory since 2011.
The new Entrepreneur of the Year is also very involved in sports partnerships as they represent the values which are important to him, and which he transmits throughout Samsic.
"Sports partnerships are always a risk for the brand image of the business involved, but the adrenaline sportsmen and women generate is fantastic. I took risks every day when I was creating Samsic and I don't intend to stop! Sport and business are the same: you can't win every time but there is so much to learn from losing."
Samsic is, and forever will be, a family Group
In January 2019, Christian Roulleau handed over the reins of the company to his son-in-law, Thierry Geffroy, who now runs Samsic alongside Guy Roulleau, the Founder's brother.
Christian Roulleau now devotes his time to his Family Office. "I use the money I make to develop new projects. I can't imagine a future without them. I always reinvest and am always on the lookout for new challenges. I still have the energy to undertake new projects and new risks. It's part of my DNA."
The EY award means that Christian Roulleau will represent France in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year competition. Save the date: Monaco, June 2020.
