PONANT appoints Benoît-Etienne Domenget as Group CEO

PONANT has announced the appointment of Benoît-Etienne Domenget as Group CEO, effective November 3, 2025. 

He takes over from Hervé Gastinel, who is leaving the Group to pursue new professional projects. 

François-Henri Pinault stated: "I am delighted to welcome Benoît-Etienne Domenget. His extensive and diversified experience and expertise in strategic fields for our company will give him all the assets to make PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP an ever-stronger and more innovative player in the luxury and responsible cruise sector. He will be able to rely on a highly talented team." He added: "We warmly thank Hervé Gastinel for his unwavering commitment to the Group. Under his leadership, the fleet has grown from 12 to 20 ships, and PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP has successfully diversified its activities, in particular by entering river cruises and new formats such as the Spirit of Ponant." 

A graduate of HEC Paris, Benoît-Etienne Domenget began his career with Accor Group, holding various operational roles before being appointed Senior Vice-President Development for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. 

He later led Accor’s Swiss subsidiary and managed the low-cost hotel business across the DACH region, overseeing more than a hundred properties. He then joined Michel Reybier Hospitality, a group owning prestigious hotels, vineyards, and wellness activities, before being appointed in 2017 as CEO of Sommet Education (Glion, Les Roches, École Ducasse, Indian School of Hospitality, and Invictus Education). 

Under his leadership and notably through a strong international expansion, Sommet Education has been established as the world’s leading network in hospitality and luxury management education.