After two decades, the founder of Catlante Catamarans, Jean-Pascal Siméon, is handing over leadership responsibilities to Hervé Bellaiche, formerly the deputy general manager of Ponant.

Bellaiche will assume the role of President and CEO on October 10.

Additionally, Frédéric Talvard has been designated as the director of operations.

In this new chapter, the company aims to expand its operations with the support of two investment funds: Montefiore Investment and Bpifrance.

“Under the enlightened leadership of Jean-Pascal Siméon and Fred Talvard, the current team has done exceptional work by placing customer satisfaction at the heart of the company. This unique model of eco-responsible catamaran cruises holds great promise. With the support of Montefiore Investment and Bpifrance, we are determined to accelerate our growth trajectory,” said Bellaïche.

Siméon added: “I am pleased with what has been accomplished over these two decades and am confident in passing the baton to Hervé Bellaiche, who possesses the right profile, experience, and vision to lead Catalante Catamarans to new heights. I am convinced that the company is in good hands to continue prospering.”

Julien Meir, director at Montefiore Investment, said: “We believe in Catlante’s strong potential for  organic growth at a time when decarbonization challenges are omnipresent, and responsible tourism is highly favored. Alongside Hervé Bellaïche, we aim to increase the fleet of low-carbon impact sailboats and expand in Belgium and Switzerland.”

Flavien Tiberghien, director of investments at Bpifrance Investissements, added: “We are proud to accompany Catlante, a pioneering player in travel and boating, towards greener and more authentic tourism.”