Pernod Ricard CFO Hélène de Tissot departs for Chanel

Pernod Ricard has confirmed that its chief financial officer, Hélène de Tissot, will step down in October to join Chanel, with Mauve Croizat promoted internally to take over as CFO. The French spirits group, owner of brands including Absolut, Chivas Regal and Martell, is losing a senior finance executive at a moment of financial pressure, and her move to one of the world's most prominent privately held luxury houses underscores how few top-tier finance roles exist outside a small circle of luxury and drinks conglomerates.

The leadership change comes as Pernod Ricard also confirmed it has withdrawn its legal challenge to a demand from Indian tax authorities for $314 million in back taxes, according to The Spirits Business. Dropping the dispute removes a source of uncertainty from the group's balance sheet in one of its most important growth markets, even as it likely means absorbing the cost. India has become an increasingly significant battleground for global spirits groups, with Diageo's local unit United Spirits separately reporting a sharp rise in quarterly profit this week, and tariff changes under the UK-India trade agreement further easing access for Scotch producers.

Together, the leadership change and the tax settlement suggest a group tidying up loose ends in a key market while managing a transition in its most senior finance role. For Chanel, recruiting a CFO with deep experience of a large, internationally listed drinks group brings financial discipline honed in a more transparent public-reporting environment into a business that famously guards its numbers. What Croizat prioritises in her first months, and how Pernod Ricard's India business performs from here, will be worth tracking.

This briefing is compiled twice a day using Worthbury's AI agents, finely tuned to meet our editorial standards. While we test and review their work, mistakes can sometimes happen. See exactly how it works.