Francois Fourmont, the Frenchman under whose management Loganbecame Europe's low-cost miracle, is set to leave Renault group'smost profitable car plant.
Six years after Francois Fourmont arrived in Romania, Dacia leadsin terms of sales on the Romanian market, but, more importantly, asIon Tiriac, one of the most important Romanian businesspeople,said, the model manufactured in Mioveni gained not only renown, butalso prestige in Europe.
Fourmont, 61, arrived in Pitesti in mid-2003 and took over theLogan project coordinated until then by Christian Esteve, the firstmanager after the 1999 privatisation. In 2003, Dacia posted93m-euro losses. The next year brought losses as well, but in 2005,12 months after Logan model was launched, the company reported57m-euro income, the first positive result in eight years.
" (...) Mr. Fourmont had a very good performance and the one tosucceed him will have an easier task, to maintain the level andcoordinate the team," stated Constantin Stroe, vice-president ofthe carmaker.
A doctor of economic science, Fourmont came into contact with Daciaas early as 1999, when he ran Auto Chassis International, thechassis unit of Renault. However, his career with Renault startedin 1974, and he filled several positions with the HR Department.How was the passage from the position of HR manager to that ofplant manager?
"It was a major change. It was an interesting challenge as I lackedthe necessary technical culture for this position. (...) It took meseveral months to learn everything I had to learn," stated Fourmontone year and a half ago.
Automobile Dacia representatives stated the position ofadministrator and general manager of the Mioveni plant would betaken over by Jerome Olivier, 52, a Frenchman now running Renault'splant of Douai, France, at the end of the year.
"I am convinced now, when Mr. Fourmont is retiring, that Dacia'sperformance during his tenure was outstanding. It was a fortunateperiod," stated Marius Carp, a car industry analyst.
During Fourmont's tenure, Renault invested more than 800m euros inRomania. Fourmont arrived at Dacia a year before Logan's launch andleaves the future manager to complete the current Logan generationwith the launch of the SUV.
