Metro Inc. President and CEO Eric La Flèche to Retire
Metro Inc. President and CEO Eric La Flèche is retiring at the end of 2026 after 18 years at the helm of the food and pharmacy retailer.
Chief Operating Officer Marc Giroux will succeed La Flèche, effective Sept. 27.
La Flèche will be appointed chairman of the board of directors. Pierre Boivin, currently chairman of the board, will be moved to vice chairman and lead director, also effective on Sept. 27.
Metro said the appointments are the culmination of a multi-year succession planning process led by the company's board.
Giroux will join the board when he takes up the role of president and CEO.
"It has been a privilege to lead Metro and to work alongside such talented and dedicated teams across our stores, distribution centers and offices,” said La Flèche in a media release. "Metro is well-positioned for continued success, with a clear growth plan, a disciplined approach to execution, a great team and a very solid balance sheet. I am proud of what we have accomplished together. Alongside my colleagues on the board, I look forward to Metro's continued success under Marc’s leadership."
Giroux said he is "honored" to succeed La Flèche.
"Eric has built a strong foundation and a culture of performance and customer focus, and I'm pleased to continue collaborating with him going forward. My priority will be to build on that foundation — continuing to execute our strategy, supporting our people and partners, and keeping our customers at the center of every decision as we move forward. I look forward to continuing to work with the best team in the industry," Giroux said.
La Flèche joined Metro in 1991 and has served as president and CEO since April 2008. Prior to becoming CEO, he held a number of roles of increasing responsibility, including executive vice president and COO from 2005 to 2008.
He was named Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year (2020) and is also a long-time volunteer with Centraide of Greater Montreal.
Giroux joined Metro in 2009. In his current position as COO, Giroux leads the Québec and Ontario food divisions as well as supply chain, marketing, loyalty and digital strategy. Over the course of his career with the company, he has held progressively senior roles spanning marketing, merchandising and operations as well as digital and e-commerce.
Metro has approximately 1,000 food stores and more than 630 pharmacies in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick under several banners, including Metro, Food Basics and Super C banners.
This article was originally published on P2PI sibling brand Canadian Grocer.
