Sebastien Burnier

Group Chief Operating Officer - President South Europe & Africa

Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

About

Seasoned Executive with a proven 25-year track record of driving operational excellence and strategic growth. Experienced in leading global teams and delivering impactful results across diverse industries and geographies. Proven expertise in implementing Lean methodologies and optimizing operations. Currently leading a $1 billion business with a team of 10,000 professionals, fostering a culture of innovation and high performance.

Experience

  • gategroup (Zurich, Switzerland)
    • President South Europe & Africa
      Oct 2024 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos

      In addition to my role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the group, I took the full P&L responsibility of the South Europe & Africa Region as Regional President. This region cover 18 countries and more than 10 000 employees with a revenue close to a billion euros.

    • Group Chief Operating Officer (Group COO)
      Jan 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 6 mos

      Executive Management Board Member. Architect of the company operating model. Custodian of an ambition for Operational Excellence across the group driving the installation of a culture of best practice and continuous improvement at all levels of the organization as a source of competitive advantage and financial performance.

  • SERVAIR (Paris)
    • Board of Directors Member
      Dec 2024 - Present · 1 yr 7 mos

      Active member of the Board of Directors, involved in key projects as strategic planning, oversight of operations, mergers and acquisitions, risk management. Contributed to revenue growth, improved profitability and new business development.

    • Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
      Jun 2024 - Nov 2024 · 6 mos

      Provide overall direction and leadership. Responsible for setting the strategic goals and objectives of the organization and ensuring that the necessary resources are in place to achieve them.

  • Global Head of Operational Excellence at SATS Ltd.
    Jun 2023 - Jan 2024 · 8 mos

    Oversee and manage all operational excellence and transformation initiatives that will strengthen governance, resourcing, processes and tools aimed at harmonizing and integrating all processes and systems across various group entities with a view to creating an organization that is scalable and agile to lead and respond to market and client needs.

  • Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) (4 yrs)
    • Head of Operations & Transformation
      Aug 2022 - Jan 2024 · 1 yr 6 mos

      Enable the execution of the Operations Transformation program through creating transparency and facilitating decision making. Oversee the governance and controlling of the entire Operations portfolio of high-profile projects throughout the project lifecycle. Foster an operational excellence culture focused on decision making by providing leadership and expertise to the Operations organization.

    • Senior Vice President Operational Excellence
      Feb 2020 - Aug 2022 · 2 yrs 7 mos

      Define and deploy the overall operational excellence strategy. Validate industrial investment, monitor major strategic Capex. Lead transversal strategic initiative in order to achieve significant gain in operating costs and quality. Lead transversal crisis management committee (e.g. Covid Business Continuity Plan)

  • Chassis Brakes International (5 yrs 1 mo)
    • Vice President Global Operations
      Jan 2018 - Feb 2020 · 2 yrs 2 mos

      Define and deploy industrial strategy and lead global operations activities in terms of quality, operational excellence, manufacturing technologies and industrial coordination. Drive continuous improvements initiatives within the group. In charge of the Program Management.

    • General Manager
      Feb 2015 - Jan 2018 · 3 yrs

      Being in charge of the overall operations, structuring and deploying business strategy, competitive strategy & roadmap, budgets and financial & business planning to ensure the successful turnaround of the current business. (450 people / 220 millions € turnover). Managing business development to ensure a sustainable market expansion to local and international markets.