Emmanuel Besnier

Employees and staff representatives initiated legal proceedings over the calculation of profit-sharing payments and access to the group's consolidated accounts. Emmanuel Besnier was named in particular as legal representative in proceedings seeking publication of consolidated accounts.

In February 2024, searches were conducted at Lactalis's headquarters, its Paris offices and Emmanuel Besnier's private residence as part of an investigation by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office into suspected tax fraud and transfer of profits to structures in Belgium and Luxembourg.

State of the evidence

Documented

The Competition Authority investigated indications of possible reciprocal non-solicitation agreements between milk collection companies that might restrict producers' ability to change dairies. Inspection and seizure operations involving parts of the sector were challenged in court.

State of the evidence

Documented

In 2017, salmonella contamination at Lactalis's Craon factory led to a worldwide recall of millions of packs of infant formula. Failures in the recall process and the continued presence of contaminated products in distribution aggravated the crisis. In 2023, Lactalis and Société laitière de Craon were formally placed under investigation for aggravated deception, involuntary injury and failure to carry out a withdrawal and recall procedure.

State of the evidence

Documented

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

For several years, Lactalis refused to publish certain consolidated accounts although disclosure was required. The group accepted the risk of financial penalties to preserve the confidentiality of information it considered strategic, fuelling criticism of its financial opacity.

State of the evidence

Documented

Following an 'Envoyé spécial' episode about Lactalis that showed his residence, among other things, Emmanuel Besnier brought a privacy action. At first instance, the urgent applications judge partially ruled in the executive's favour before the Angers Court of Appeal reversed the injunction.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Lactalis decided to terminate contracts with several dairy producers who had spoken critically in a France 2 report. The decision was publicly condemned as retaliation and prompted intervention by the Agriculture Ministry and the mediator for agricultural trade relations.

State of the evidence

Documented

Following Lactalis's takeover of Parmalat, minority shareholders challenged several decisions by the new majority owner, particularly the price Parmalat paid to acquire Lactalis's US operations. An Italian court subsequently required a reduction in the price of this intra-group transaction.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility

In summer 2016, milk producers blockaded several Lactalis sites to protest against what they considered an excessively low purchase price and the lack of satisfactory negotiations. The crisis brought considerable public attention to Emmanuel Besnier, previously very discreet in the media, and ended with an agreement to raise prices.

State of the evidence

Documented