July 17, 2018

Keynote Breakfast Briefing speech on global trends and innovation in the leisure boating industry.

The 2018 METSTRADE Show opening ceremony – ‘Breakfast Briefing’ – will be held on 13 November and will include a keynote address by Chief Executive Officer of Groupe Beneteau, Hervé Gastinel. His speech, in which he will share his thoughts and experiences about innovation, will open METSTRADE 2018.

The greatly anticipated Breakfast Briefing is held annually on the first day of the METSTRADE Show and attracts hundreds of global representatives from a wide range of companies within the industry. The Breakfast Briefing will also feature the award ceremony for the world-famous DAME – Design Award. The session is hosted by the International Council of Marine Industry Association (ICOMIA), the international trade association representing the global marine industry.

Insights to new approaches to trends in the leisure marine sector

After joining the Groupe Beneteau in 2015, HervéGastinel has been at the helm as boating markets started their recovery, strongly driven by the innovation brought by new product development. Hervé Gastinel will provide insights into the challenges that the leisure marine sector is facing and explore new approaches towards sustainability, innovation and evolving consumer trends. After the Breakfast Briefing, Mr. Gastinel will also give an interview on the I-nnovationLAB Stage and meet with young professionals from the METSTRADE Young Professionals Club.

The illustrious career of our keynote speaker

HervéGastinel has had a long and distinguished career. First starting out at the Ministry of Finance in 1993, he was then the technical advisor in charge of economy, finance and new technologies for the President of the French Senate. In 1998, he joined the Saint-Gobain group as Director of Planning and Strategy and was appointed General Manager of Saint-Gobain Terreal in 2000. He served as Chairman and CEO of Terreal from 2003 to 2015. HervéGastinel became Groupe Beneteau’s Chief Executive Officer in 2015.

The 10 brands of Groupe Beneteau – Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, Prestige, CNB, Monte Carlo Yachts and the American brands Four Winns, Glastron, Wellcraft, Scarab – offer over 200 recreational boat models, from sailing to motorboating, monohulls and catamarans, from 15 up to 105 feet. The product diversity combined with its international presence (manufacturing and sales) make Groupe Beneteau a unique player in the boating industry.