Djebbari leaves Hopium
After a controversial appointment just a few months ago, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari therefore leaves Hopium. As a reminder, Specializing in the construction of high-end hydrogen vehicles, Hopium was founded in 2019 by French racing driver Olivier Lombard. The latter had declared that the arrival of Jean-Baptiste Djebbari – still a minister when he was proposed to sit on the board of directors of Hopium – constituted “a major step” in the development of the company.
Questioned by the press agencies, the former Minister of Transport now indicates that his departure is motivated by “new projects in progress” the details of which will be revealed in the days and weeks to come.
A controversial appointment
Still, the reconversion in the private sector of Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, had raised many questions. As minister, the latter has indeed displayed public support for the hydrogen car, which Hopium has directly benefited from, welcoming in particular in March 2021 that France is investing 7 billion euros for the development of the sector by 2030.
The question of a possible conflict of interest had then surfaced, pushed by the opposition, but also by the NGO Transparency France.
In June 2022, the president of the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP), Didier Migaud, had justified the opinions of the institution concerning the three private conversion projects of the former Minister of Transport, Jean -Baptiste Djebbari, including one refusal.
Didier Migaud did not find it “not surprising” that Jean-Baptiste Djebbari could make several retraining proposals, coming from the private sector and going back to the private sector”, “he does not have a position waiting for him at the Council of State, to the Court of Auditors or the Inspectorate of Finance”.
The retraining of the former Minister of Transport at the shipowner CMA-CGM had been rejected by the High Authority for the transparency of public life, which had pointed to “substantial ethical risks”.
The HATVP had given a green light with reservations for the entry of Jean-Baptiste Djebbari to the board of directors of Hopium. “The criminal risk did not exist, the ethical risk could be overcome, circumscribed”, had then estimated Didier Migaud. Stating that the “start-up” had not yet marketed vehicles at that date “and that it had not benefited from any direct public credit.
The president of the High Authority had in passing regretted a “clumsiness or indelicacy of the company and perhaps of the minister”, with the announcement of his arrival at Hopium before the publication of the opinion of the HATVP.
Arrival of Alain Guillou for a delicate mission
Trained as an engineer, Alain Guillou now takes the helm of Hopium. Details that he had formerly held the position of Deputy General Manager within Naval Group.
In financial difficulties for several months, Hopium is looking for a new breath…
Alain Guillou will have the delicate and main mission of putting the young start-up back on the right track so that it can take the next industrial and commercial steps that await it.
“The Board of Directors will be able to rely on the extensive governance experience of Alain Guillou as a former director of companies with an international dimension for the monitoring of the roadmap and the proper organization of the work of the Board. This appointment will also allow the Board to benefit from its high-level insight on a certain number of strategic decisions to be taken,” Hopium said in a press release.
Our opinion, by leblogauto.com
The arrival of Alain Guillou rhymes with a new strategy and roadmap for Hopium. The company, which has set itself the goal of achieving profitability within 4 years, now wishes to concentrate its forces by focusing on 2 activities. First of all: the manufacturer part – via the “Hopium Automotive” entity – focused on the development of the hydrogen sedan – premium – called Machina. But also the equipment supplier activity with the “Hopium Technologies” branch dedicated to the development and marketing of a fuel cell offer intended for third-party applications.
History of not putting all feet in the same shoe … in case the future of the hydrogen car could be called into question … or would require investments too heavy to bear for a company the size of Hopium …
To sum up
Hopium, a French manufacturer specializing in hydrogen cars, now has a new boss. Less than a year after taking the reins of the company, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari – former Minister Delegate for Transport – has just retired from the management of Hopium. Alain Guillou (formerly of Naval Group) takes over from him.
This arrival rhymes with a new strategy and roadmap for Hopium. The company, which has set itself the goal of achieving profitability within 4 years, now wishes to concentrate its forces by focusing on 2 activities. First of all: the manufacturer part – via the “Hopium Automotive” entity – focused on the development of the hydrogen sedan – premium – called Machina.
But also the equipment supplier activity with the “Hopium Technologies” branch dedicated to the development and marketing of a fuel cell offer intended for third-party applications.
History of not putting all feet in the same shoe… in case the future of the hydrogen car could be called into question… or would require investments too heavy to bear for a company the size of Hopium…
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