The emblematic boss of M6, Nicolas de Tavernost, 73, announced Tuesday in an interview with Le Figaro that he would leave his position as chairman of the group’s board of directors in April earlier than expected. He should be replaced by David Larramendy.
After the proposed merger with TF1, which did not come to fruition, “the shareholders asked me to extend my mandate,” he said in the daily. “With this now behind us, and after having clarified our strategy on streaming, I considered that the current conditions made it possible, given the good performance of the group, to move on to the succession stage.” He also announced the news about X with a video showing a hand turning off the remote.
Nicolas de Tavernost began his career in the media by becoming deputy director of Métropole Télévision (M6) in 1987, after leading the project to create the channel within Lyonnaise des Eaux. Replacing Jean Drucker as chairman of the board of M6 in 2000, he tirelessly defended the interests of a channel that was initially predominantly musical, became generalist, then a media group.
“Preserve M6’s corporate culture”
His departure was confirmed by the channel, which published its 2023 results on Tuesday evening. “Thanks to his leadership, his business acumen and his strategic vision, he took the company from a small television channel to one of the most profitable and diversified audiovisual groups in Europe”, welcomed the group’s supervisory board in a press release. It is now “preferable to entrust the presidency of the group to a new generation who will have to carry out its transformation”, further declares M6.
The supervisory board appointed David Larramendy as successor to Nicolas de Tavernost. His appointment will take place following the general meeting of April 23, the date on which Nicolas de Tavernost will officially leave his position.
Aged 49, David Larramendy is “a talented professional with strong experience in management and excellent results in advertising management,” Mr. de Tavernost told Le Figaro. “The remuneration and appointments committee chose an internal solution rather than an external one, to preserve M6’s corporate culture,” he explains.