Sodexo: Succession to Sodexo’s Chair of the Board of Directors
Issy-les-Moulineaux, September 28, 2026
Sodexo’s Board of Directors is proposing the appointment of Nathalie Bellon-Szabo as Chairwoman, subject to the renewal of her mandate at the Annual Shareholders Meeting on December 16, 2026. She would then succeed Sophie Bellon, who has served as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors since 2016.
After leading major strategic transformations over the past decade that have significantly reshaped Sodexo, including the spin-off and listing of its Benefits & Rewards services activity (Pluxee) and the divestment of Sodexo’s stake in Sofinsod, Sophie Bellon has decided not to seek renewal of her mandate as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors.
Throughout her tenure, Sophie Bellon strengthened both the independence of the Board and the quality of its work. She will now focus on Bellon SA, the family holding company, where she will become Chairwoman of the Management Board, while continuing to serve on Sodexo’s Board of Directors, subject to the renewal of her mandate by the Annual Shareholders Meeting.
The Board of Directors would like to extend its warmest thanks to Sophie Bellon for her commitment and her significant contribution to the Group’s transformation over the past ten years.
Nathalie Bellon-Szabo has dedicated most of her career to Sodexo. She has held numerous operational leadership roles and has been a member of the Group Executive Team since 2018. Under her leadership, Sodexo Live! has established itself as one of the global leaders in food services and travel hospitality across the sports, leisure and major events sectors, with revenue increasing fourfold over the past ten years, notably through its expansion in the United States, which has become its largest market. Today, Sodexo Live! is one of the Group’s key growth engines.
Nathalie Bellon-Szabo has served as a Director of Sodexo since 1989 and is a member of both the Nominating Committee and the Sustainability Committee. Her career has given her a deep understanding of the Group, its businesses, clients and teams, as well as extensive experience in its governance. She has also served as a Director of Pluxee since 2024, where she sits on the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, and as a Director of Bouygues Group since 2025.
Through this appointment, Nathalie Bellon-Szabo will become non-executive Chairwoman and will step down from her operational responsibilities within the company. Her role will be to lead the work of the Board of Directors, ensure high standards of governance, and enable the Board to support executive management.
This new phase in Sodexo’s governance comes as the Group enters a new chapter in its history with the launch of Shift & Grow 2030, its growth acceleration plan, in July 2026.
| Sophie Bellon, Chairwoman of Sodexo’s Board of Directors: | |
| "I would like to warmly thank the members of the Board of Directors for their trust and for the quality of the work we have accomplished together in support of Sodexo’s transformation. After ten years as Chairwoman of the Board, I am particularly pleased that Nathalie will succeed me. Her operational experience and deep knowledge of Sodexo and its businesses will be invaluable assets in supporting the company through this new stage of its development. I wish her every success in her new role. ” | |
| Nathalie Bellon-Szabo, future Chairwoman of Sodexo’s Board of Directors: | |
| "Over the past ten years, Sophie has played a pivotal role in preparing Sodexo for the future, and I would like to thank her. I would also like to thank the Board of Directors and my family for their trust. I bring to this role my deep commitment to our values and our mission, together with my strong conviction that value is created through growth. I fully appreciate the responsibility entrusted to me and will ensure that the Board supports Thierry Delaporte and his leadership team in executing the Group’s strategy. We share a common ambition: to accelerate Sodexo’s growth, remain ever closer to our clients, and further strengthen the Group’s position among the world’s leading companies in its industry.” | |
About Sodexo Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the leader in Food and Services, shaping better everyday experiences at every moment in life: work, heal, learn and play. The Group stands out for its independence, its founding family shareholding and its responsible business model. With its services, Sodexo meets all the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good et DJSI indices.
Key figures
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Contacts
| Media | Analysts & investors |
| Mathieu Scaravetti | Juliette Klein |
| +33 6 28 62 21 91 | +33 1 57 75 80 27 |
| mathieu.scaravetti@sodexo.com | juliette.klein@sodexo.com |
About Nathalie Bellon-Szabo
Nathalie Bellon-Szabo has been Chief Executive Officer of Sodexo Live! Worldwide and a member of Sodexo’s Group Executive Team since 2018.
Nathalie joined Sodexo in 1996 and was involved in the creation of Sodexo Prestige. She subsequently developed Sodexo’s Sports & Leisure business, which, under her leadership, became Sodexo Live! in 2021.
After initially serving as Sales Director of Sodexo Prestige in France, she became Chief Executive Officer of Sodexo Sports & Leisure France in 2010 and was appointed Chair of Lenôtre in 2012.
In 2015, she was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Sodexo’s Sports & Leisure business worldwide. She built a portfolio of premier client sites and prestigious brands spanning sports venues, major international events, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events), as well as tourism, cultural destinations and airport lounges.
In 2017, Nathalie played a pivotal role in the acquisition of Centerplate in the United States, positioning Sodexo as a leading player in the sports and leisure industry and doubling its global footprint.
In 2018, she was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sodexo’s Sports & Leisure business worldwide, joined Sodexo’s Group Executive Team and continued the worldwide expansion of the business, making Sodexo Live! one of the Group’s key growth engines. Today, Sodexo Live! operates across four continents: Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Throughout her career, Nathalie has demonstrated a strong commitment to talent development and internal promotion within both Sodexo Live! and Sodexo.
Nathalie graduated from the European Business School. She is a French and is fluent in English and Spanish.
Nathalie has served as a Director of Sodexo since 1989, Director of Pluxee since 2024, and Director of Bouygues Group since 2025.
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