What are Econocom Group’s main areas of expertise and key services?
We are experts in workplace activity: providing workplace equipment, IT equipment, and services around the workplace for our customers. For example, we can provide all the laptops and mobile phones, ensure they are configured with the right apps, and then provide support. We also have a strong infrastructure business, providing servers and networks, installing them, managing them, and monitoring them. That is our second vertical.
The third vertical is audiovisual, where we have been investing a lot. We were already strong in Spain and the Netherlands, and we expanded into Germany, Great Britain, and France to build an integrated audiovisual business. This includes meeting rooms, building entrances, and equipping stores such as Orange or Mercedes with screens. Our differentiator is that we can provide everything “as a service” thanks to our financial business—so instead of paying upfront, customers can subscribe, like with many other services today.
What vision are you personally bringing to the company right now?
My vision is deeply rooted in the legacy of the group my father, Jean-Louis Bouchard, founded 50 years ago. We are one of the oldest digital companies in Europe – born before the internet, in an era of big systems and second-hand infrastructures. That history gives us a unique perspective: we’ve seen technologies evolve, markets transform, and companies disappear. And yet, we are still here.
Today, as Tech Leader of the group, I bring a vision that connects this legacy with the future. We continue to invest in second-life equipment, because we believe in circularity, in giving assets a second chance – just as we give ideas and people the space to evolve. But more than anything, I see artificial intelligence as a turning point. Not just a tool, but a cultural shift.
AI challenges us to rethink how we create value, how we serve our clients, and how we operate as a company.
My ambition is to make Econocom a place where legacy meets innovation. Where AI is used responsibly - to augment human intelligence, not replace it. Where our teams are empowered to think boldly, and our clients are supported with clarity and purpose. That’s the vision I carry forward.
What is the One Econocom strategic goal that has been publicised recently?
One Econocom is our strategy project. Our financial ambition is €4 billion in 2028 with a 5% operating margin. We have been growing a lot through acquisitions, but now we want to focus back on organic growth. That means making sure everyone works together across the group—between activities, between front office and back office, and across countries. We are also investing heavily in our sales force, because we are a selling company, and having a large, well-trained sales force is key to this strategy.
How do you evaluate Europe’s competitiveness in the technology landscape compared to the U.S.?
Clearly, Europe is lagging behind. The major tech is in the US—Google, Microsoft, OpenAI—they are really ahead in the race. But Europe has great talent. The new Managing Director of OpenAI is French, as is the Director of Studies of AI at Meta. École 42 of Xavier Niel is a brilliant training initiative for coders, developers, AI and data engineers. We also have Mistral AI in France. It is not about skills or talent—we have many brilliant Europeans holding senior roles in US companies. For me, the main issues are the culture of risk and venture capital, and the restrictions in Europe with too many rules and limitations. That is where we lag behind. We need to come back and race.
How is AI playing a role in your business?
AI plays a big role. We see it in the tenders of big companies in Europe—AI innovation is always a major requirement. We already have many AI projects in production. In the workplace industry, we embed AI into our services. For example, we have chatbots powered by OpenAI already used by many customers in France and Spain. The key is to go into production quickly, learn, and train people. Tools are available, but the winners will be those who use them most effectively.
On infrastructure, European companies are concerned about data and reliance on US providers. In Holland, for example, they want a European email provider. In Spain, they want to deploy AI on on-premises infrastructure, making sure it is AI-ready. Our main takeaways are that people and data remain key. Without good data, AI tools like chatbots are useless. Training and structuring data are essential for efficiency.
Since the pandemic, the office space has changed dramatically. In which industries are you seeing the biggest demand for workplace equipment, IT equipment, and services?
Energy companies are big clients—both renewable and traditional. Aerospace is another—Airbus and Thales are big customers for us. For example, a large French energy company is building new headquarters with 1,000 meeting rooms to equip, and we won the tender. We also work with organisations of vital importance in France, like energy managers and transportation companies, which are investing in digital.
What has allowed Econocom to remain resilient for 50 years, and what are your goals for the next two years?
One of the key factors is the way we manage our sales force with an agent model. One-third of our sales force are entrepreneurs, not on payroll, with no fixed salary and only variables. My father created this model, and some of these people have worked with us for 20 years. It brings talented, motivated, resilient people with freedom and creativity, and in times of crisis, they stay with us and keep selling. It is also less risky in downturns.
For the next one to two years, it is about winning at a European level, bringing AI into our offerings, and improving our ways of working with technology. It is an exciting time.
