The CMA CGM Group

Extract

[...] The CMA CGM Group CMA CGM I. General Company Data Introduction In 1978, when Jacques Saadé discovered the steel boxes used by the US Department of Defense to ship clothing and equipment to soldiers, he had a disruptive vision: containers would become crucial for international trade, in an increasingly globalized economy. This revelation led to the founding of CMA (Compagnie Maritime d'Affrètement), a company that now transports more than 21 million containers each year, serving clients worldwide. The CMA CGM Group, now led by Rodolphe Saadé, is a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, employing more than 155,000 men and women worldwide, including nearly 6,000 in Marseille, where its headquarters are located. [...]

[...] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, CMA expanded its presence in Asia and became the first shipping company between Asia and the Mediterranean, and the second shipping company between Northern Europe and Asia. Therefore, this innovative strategy provided CMA with a significant competitive advantage. In the 1990s, as trade became increasingly globalized, CMA decided to acquire CGM (Compagnie Générale Maritime). CGM used to transport passengers on cruise ships, but was now dedicated to freight activities. With 19 operational ships, well-trained crews, and established shipping lines to the West Indies and the Americas, CGM had a huge potential for CMA. [...]

[...] Together, CMA and CGM formed the world's 12th-largest shipping conglomerate at the time. This acquisition strategy continued into the 2000s, enabling access to new routes. Indeed, CMA CGM expanded its portfolio by acquiring Australian National Line, Mac Andrews in the United Kingdom, Delmas in West Africa, CNC in Taiwan, Comanav in Morocco and US Lines in the United States. In 2006, CMA CGM became the world's third-largest shipping company. To reflect this growth, they commissioned the construction of Tour CMA CGM, which was inaugurated in 2011. [...]

[...] Therefore, it has a strong social component, and focuses on sustainability. The group's core values are excellence, exemplarity, imagination and boldness. Indeed, CMA CGM is dedicated to achieving excellence on all fronts, whether operational or environmental, and wants to set a high standard through leading by example. But being a leader on the market also requires imagination and boldness: CMA CGM aims to think innovatively and push beyond its limits, guided by the company's entrepreneurial mindset. This is why the company's brand signature is "BETTER WAYS", encompassing all of these values: "An invitation to work together to open more responsible, more efficient and more seamless solutions for the transport and logistics industry". [...]

[...] The Board of Directors is presided by Rodolphe Saadé, the group's CEO. These directors are also the primary shareholders of the company, so they are invested in its success. Besides, the company is organized into various divisions to effectively manage its core activities: operations, commercial, finance, human resources, IT (information technology), legal and compliance. Each division is headed by a lead manager, under whom team managers collaborate with specialists and employees to execute the company's objectives. If we look in more detail at the hierarchy structure within the IT department, we notice that it is overseen by a lead manager specializing in shipping IT, and divided into five key functions: booking, pricing, invoicing, functional, and test factory. [...]