It has been voluntarily reduced and simplified

Change of organizational model to improve financial performance. The reasoning could be fly with combined shareholders tonight, at the headquarters of Altran, Levallois-Perret. Yves de Chaisemartin will benefit from the annual general meeting of the Group of innovation consultancy to them the new organisation of society. The CEO of Altran reserve the scoop of the information to shareholders, before the internal tomorrow in more detail. And for good reason: "this new organization first objective is to create value for our shareholders." It must be said that title on the stock market lost a little more than half of its value in five years.

His arrival at the head of the group, four years ago, the new Directorate found that its model no longer corresponded to the Organization of major customers, in particular their directions of purchases, and gradually did evolve. This evolution has given day to the definition of five major sectors of activity: automotive & transportation, aerospace & defense, energy & industry, Government, financial, telecoms & media services. To complete this change, Altran now wants to "globalize". This is why the company decided to appoint a global responsible for each of these areas. Three of them have already been designated, two will be very soon.

On the margins of this "vertical" organization has now piggyback "horizontal" operation, namely, the portfolio of the Group offers. It has been voluntarily reduced and simplified. Reflection, initiated in the spring of 2009, resulted in the definition of five groups of offers: innovation management, mechanical engineering, systems embedded, information systems, project management. "A little more than a year ago, there were still 210 different service offerings," said Pascal Brier, Deputy Director-General. The head of each of these divisions serve also a boss "world", there is also two seats to be filled.

"Altran must become a real architect, a contractor in the project to its customers, and not a single developer, said Yves de Chaisemartin, and this new organization will contribute." Council and engineering society wants more manage projects ultimately end, rather than to office of simple "technical assistance". "It goes in the direction of the industry, who want more focus on the core of their activity and outsource part of their research and development."

Adjust margins

Altran sees in this new organization the means to accelerate its development, because the ambition is to be both capable of cross-cutting needs in several industries, but also to cover a whole field of expertise for the same client in a specific sector. The world Organization should also satisfy customers who have, too, a global presence, with manufacturing sites in several countries. Altran was still a little bit of evil, until now, to harmonize its different offers from a geographical point of view.

The margins should expand as the rise of this organization, want to believe the leaders. "Will there be more responsible for the delivery of end to end engineering projects." It can better control their execution. "Yves de Chaisemartin keeps in mind the objectives of the strategic plan over five years announced in 2007, achieving a turnover of EUR 2 billion and an operating margin between 8 and 12. Even if the deadline will be delayed, crisis requires. In 2009, the margin was decelerated to 2.2.

The redefinition of the Organization should facilitate external growth strategy, highlighting best gaps in certain areas of activity. Altran will illustrate it today with the announcement of three new acquisitions.