Mélanie Guilldou

Mélanie Guilldou was appointed CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail in Saudi Arabia in October 2024. Under her leadership, Lagardère Travel Retail Saudi Arabia has achieved significant milestones, including the promising expansion of its operations from Retail to Dining, the opening of new flagship locations, and strategic partnerships.

From 2016 to 2024 Mélanie led Lagardère’s Travel Retail Foodservice business line – one of the Group’s three business lines, alongside Duty Free and Travel Essentials. Over eight years, she successfully established and expanded the Foodservice division, driving its growth across 25 countries. This made it the most dynamic business line within the company, constantly forging new partnerships to enrich a brand portfolio that now includes over 200 proprietary, partner, and bespoke brands. In 2024 the Foodservice division generated revenue of €1.7 billion, with 1,600 restaurants across 30 countries, and accounting for 23% of Lagardère Travel Retail’s total sales revenue.

Alongside her responsibilities in the Foodservice business line, Mélanie was also in charge of the company CSR strategy between 2021 and 2023. She has played a pivotal role in shaping Lagardère Travel Retail’s global CSR initiative, PEPS (Planet. Ethics. People. Social).

A graduate of the EDHEC Business School, Mélanie has more than 20 years’ experience in marketing and business development in the retail and foodservice industries. Lagardère Travel Retail is a leading global company present in 51 countries, 290 airports, and 700 railway/metro stations, achieving sales of €7.6 billion in 2024.