In Marie Laure Ripoche, Bechtle AG has found a successor from within its own ranks to fill the Managing Director position at Bechtle direct France previously held by Alain Baselga, who is taking on a new role within the Bechtle Group. Alain Baselga has been with Bechtle since Bechtle direct entered the French market in 1999, overseeing the company’s growth. On 01 July 2023, he will hand over the reins of the e-commerce company in France in order to focus on strategic projects in the country. France is Bechtle’s most important e-commerce market and the company is striving to cement its position there by gaining a greater market share.
Marie Laure Ripoche has been Managing Director of Bechtle Comsoft in France for 19 years and shall continue in this role while also taking the helm of Bechtle direct. As per French nomenclature, she will become Présidente of Bechtle direct and Bechtle Comsoft France from 01 July. The aim is for both companies to better synergise and collaborate across portfolios and geographical boundaries in order to drive expansion on the market, although both brands will remain.
“We are delighted that Alain Baselga is passing on the baton to Marie Laure Ripoche, who is taking on the role with great conviction and enthusiasm. We couldn’t wish for anyone better than Marie Laure Ripoche, who is exactly the right person to head both companies,” says Konstantin Ebert, Executive Vice President for France, Benelux and the UK, Bechtle AG. “At the same time, this change is a fantastic opportunity for Alain Baselga to dedicate his expertise to strategic projects and we cannot thank him enough for his outstanding achievements leading Bechtle direct France over nearly 25 years.
Together with subsidiary Inmac Wstore and the CAD/CAM/PLM specialists at Cadmes, the Bechtle Group’s French locations dot a line from Illkirch-Graffenstaden near Strasbourg, via Paris to Sophia Antipolis near Nice. Bechtle already counts as one of the top 5 IT companies in France where business volume totalled an impressive 825 million euros in 2022 thanks to the hard work of the 800+ Bechtle employees working there.
