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GOVERNANCE

FDJ Governance: Overseeing the creation of value

The FDJ Board of Directors’ role

FDJ’s board of directors is particularly focused on creating long-term value, while considering the social and environmental impact of its business activities. It is responsible for setting strategic roadmaps, making decisions about the most important and impactful operations such as external growth, and nominating company representatives. The board of directions also sets compensation and oversees the company’s governance. The Board monitors the management of the company and the quality of the information provided to the markets and to shareholders. Elsewhere, the board finalises the financial statements, and establishes financial reviews and management planning documents. The Board also examines the annual budget and multiyear strategic plan upon recommendation from the relevant committees.

“The board of directors is made up of administrators from a wealth of complementary backgrounds, experiences, and expertise. I think that is what gives strength and quality to our board of directors in carrying out their duty.”

Portrait de Stéphane Pallez, Présidente directrice générale du groupe FDJ Stéphane Pallez Chairwoman and CEO

FDJ Board of Directors

  • Stéphane Pallez

    Chairwoman and CEO

  • Olivier Roussel

    Olivier Roussel

    Permanent representative of l’Union des blessés de la face et de la tête (UBFT)

  • Jacques Sonnet

    Jacques Sonnet

    Permanent representative of Fédération nationale André Maginot des anciens combattants et victimes de guerre (FNAM)

  • Florence Barjou

    Florence Barjou

    Independant Director - Permanent representative of Predica

  • Fabienne Dulac

    Fabienne Dulac

    Independant director

  • Portrait Xavier Girre

    Xavier Girre

    Independant director
    Chairman of the Audit and Risks Committee

  • Françoise Gri

    Françoise Gri

    Independant director
    Chairwoman of the CSR and Responsible Gaming Committee

  • Philippe Lazare

    Philippe Lazare

    Independant director
    Lead Director, Chairman of the CGNR

  • Corinne Lejbowicz

    Independant director

  • Charles Sarrazin

    Charles Sarrazin

    Board member representing the French state

  • Ghislaine Doukhan

    Ghislaine Doukhan

    Board member appointed by the French State

  • Didier Trutt

    Didier Trutt

    Directors appointed by the General Meeting on the proposal of French government

  • Agnès Lyon-Caen

    Agnès Lyon-Caen

    Director representing employees

  • Philippe Pirani

    Philippe Pirani

    Director representing employees

  • David Chianese

    David Chianese

    Director representing employee shareholders

Also attending the Board of Directors meetings in an advisory capacity:

  • Pascal Chèvremont

    General Economic and Financial Controller

  • Sébastien Devillepoix

    Representing the Central Economic and Labour Relations Council

  • Philippe Sauvage

    Government Commissioner

Articles of association and Internal regulations of the board


Board committees

This committee assists the board of directors with analyses of financial statements  and financial information, major risk management policy, and internal control. Its responsibilities are as follows:

  • Trace financial information to its source to examine the quality and reliability of the financial information produced by the company.
  • Examine the company’s financial communication policy.
  • Examine the financial statements and study important operations that could be subject to a conflict of interest.
  • Analyse the overall risk management policy, based on pre-defined risk charts.
  • Oversee the development of internal control systems.
  • Scrutinise strategic deals, acquisitions, mergers, and other significant deals before submitting them to the board of directors.
  • Supervise the procedure of nominating or renewing an external auditor and carry out a review into the decision.
  • Xavier Girre

    Independant director
    Chairman of the Audit and Risks Committee

  • Corinne Lejbowicz

    Independant director

  • Charles Sarrazin

    Board member representing the French state

  • Philippe Lazare

    Independant director
    Lead Director, Chairman of the CGNR

  • Ghislaine Doukhan

    Board member appointed by the French State

  • Agnès Lyon-Caen

    Director representing employees

  • David Chianese

    Director representing employee shareholders

  • Florence Barjou

    Independant Director - Permanent representative of Predica

The business steering committee and group management committee

Directs business activities and ensures the implementation of FDJ’s strategy.

  • Stéphane Pallez

    Chairwoman and CEO

  • Portrait Charles LANTIERI

    Charles Lantieri

    Deputy CEO, President of FDP, Chairman of the supervisory board of FDJ Services, Chairman of the FDJ Corporate Foundation

  • Patrick Buffard

    Patrick Buffard

    EVP, Sport Business Unit, Media, TV Production and Event, FDJ Réseau CEO, Chairman of the board of La Pacifique des Jeux

  • Pascal Chaffard

    Pascal Chaffard

    EVP Finance, Performance & Strategy

  • Xavier Etienne

    Xavier Etienne

    EVP Technology & International, President of FGS Gaming Solutions

  • Cécile Lagé

    Cécile Lagé

    EVP Lottery Business Unit, Customer Department

  • Raphaël Botbol

    Raphaël Botbol

    Director in charge of Strategy, Innovation and New Activities, President of FDJ Services and FDJ Services Holding

  • Raphaële Rabatel

    Raphaële Rabatel

    Group Communications & Sponsorship Director

FDJ shareholdings as at 27/04/2023

FDJ shareholders as at 27 April 2023 are:

  • French government: 20%
  • Veterans’ charities: 15%
  • Employee co-ownership: 4%
  • Predica: 5%
  • Under 5% held by French and international institutional investors and individual shareholders

Government control over FDJ governance

Following consultation with the French gaming regulation authority (ANJ), the Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of the Budget approved the appointment of the President and Chief Executive and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of FDJ, as well as all modifications proposed to the company statutes.

The Minister for the Budget also nominates a government commissioner, who sits in a consultative capacity on the FDJ board of directors and in its committees. The commissioner can obtain any and all information and carry out the verifications necessary to fulfilling their mission. They can also express opposition to deliberations around previsional budgets, expenditure, and company investments.

There is another form of government control over the company’s share capital. Certain shareholders who exceed a participation threshold or vote count of 10% must be approved by the Ministry of Finance. Authorisation can only be refused, though, for a limited number of reasons set by law.

Finally, there is a convention and a bill of specifications in place that lay out FDJ’s rights and obligations.