Maximilien Pellegrini joined Elior North America as CEO in May of 2024. Over his 20-year career, Maximilien has held numerous executive roles internationally, showcasing deep expertise and leadership in the transformation of established organizations. His journey began in 2001 at Suez Group, where he started as a project manager at Degrémont, focusing on the construction and operation of water treatment plants. He rapidly advanced to become the CFO of Degrémont’s international construction operations in Madrid from 2005 to 2008 and was appointed CEO of Iberia & Africa in early 2009.
In 2013, Maximilien relocated to the United States to spearhead North America Industrial Solutions as CEO, aiming to revitalize the business in New York until 2017. Upon his return to France, he took on the role of CEO at La Lyonnaise des Eaux, modernizing its traditional business model. Following Veolia’s takeover bid, he was appointed deputy CEO of the newly formed Suez by the consortium of shareholders, where he played a crucial role in restructuring and transforming the waste management division, focusing on energy recovery and recycling—a key strategic initiative for the company.
In February 2023, Maximilien became the Group CEO of Atalian, a leading European facility management provider. Maximilien’s passion for eradicating societal inequity led to his role as co-chair of Le Cercle Colbert since 2020, a think tank devoted to regional and societal transformation. He is also committed to fostering diversity and social inclusion and serves as the non-executive chairman of Zeneduc, an organization dedicated to innovative educational approaches to prevent academic failure. A dual Franco-Italian citizen, Maximilien is recognized as a knight of the national order of merit in France. He and his family are based in Houston, Texas.
Company: Elior North America
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company
Maximilien Pellegrini: Joining Elior North America as CEO in May 2024, I bring over two decades of experience in transforming organizations across international markets. My journey began in the early 2000s with Suez Group, where I honed my skills in project management and later served as CEO for various divisions, including in North America and Europe. Most recently, I served as Group CEO of Atalian, focusing on facility management.
Elior North America is a vibrant part of the Elior Group, with a rich history spanning more than 50 years in the hospitality industry. We are home to over 16,000 dedicated team members who are passionate about delivering exceptional food and service experiences. Our commitment to growth and innovation continually pushes us to reimagine how we serve our customers, always striving for excellence.
Personally, I am deeply committed to societal equity and serve as co-chair of Le Cercle Colbert, a think tank dedicated to regional transformation. I also advocate for diversity and inclusion, supporting initiatives such as Zeneduc, which promotes innovative educational approaches.
If you were in an elevator with Warren Buffett, how would you describe your company, your services or products? What makes your company different from others? What is your company’s biggest strength?
Maximilien Pellegrini: Elior North America distinguishes itself in the food and hospitality industry through its extensive and diverse portfolio of businesses, which have been built over 50 years of rich history and growth. Comprising different brands and supported by a workforce of 16,000+ passionate team members, we serve millions of meals daily across various sectors including schools, hospitals, senior living communities, and corporate offices throughout the United States. This breadth allows us to cater to diverse needs while maintaining a high standard of quality and service excellence.
Central to our identity is our commitment to doing good. This commitment is embedded in every aspect of our operations and is reflected in our mission to provide healthy, delicious meals that support well-being across communities. We understand the vital role nutrition plays in daily life—at work, at school, and beyond—and we strive to make a positive impact through our foodservice management and packaged meal distribution.
Our biggest strength lies in our people. The strong team at Elior North America is united by a shared passion for great food and exceptional service. This collective dedication drives our continuous improvement efforts, ensuring that we not only meet but exceed customer expectations.
We believe in making a difference. Whether through our daily operations, sustainable initiatives, or efforts to support local communities, we are committed to doing good—for our customers, team members, and the planet. By focusing on these principles, we not only enhance the satisfaction of those we serve but also contribute to a brighter future for all.
Quiet quitting, The Great Resignation, is an ongoing trend causing many businesses to struggle to keep talent engaged and motivated. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued, and misunderstood in the workplace. In your experience, what keeps employees happy? And how are you adapting to the current shift we see?
Maximilien Pellegrini: In my experience, several key factors contribute to employee commitment. First and foremost is a strong sense of belonging. Employees want to feel seen, included, and valued within the organization. To foster this environment, we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves and share their ideas without fear.
For example, when we’ve held town halls, we focus on the aspects of human connection that were lost with the pandemic and remote work such as conversations in the hallways, and catch-up lunches. Now, we implement music to start meetings, utilize the chat feature to engage with all employees working remotely, and intentionally introduce engaging conversations throughout the meetings. We’ve also implemented regular virtual team-building activities and wellness initiatives to support remote employees’ morale and well-being; and each time we have a chance, we try to organize face-to-face meetings.
Online business keeps on surging higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for the year to come and how are you capitalizing on the tidal wave?
Maximilien Pellegrini: The surge in online business continues, particularly in areas such as B2C shopping, and remote services. Our goal is to connect more with our customers to better understand behaviors and optimize our marketing strategies.
Technology is obviously at stake to make our food production safer and more efficient — getting better competitiveness out of our services. We are investing continually in new systems to make the lives of our operators easier.
I expect to see increased integration of AI in customer service and a greater emphasis on personalized shopping experiences. We can now quickly develop applications that fit with specific needs instead of investing in heavy and costly global systems.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Maximilien Pellegrini: One of the most significant challenges right now is balancing customization and competitiveness. We need to set standards and guidance across the board to provide efficiency to our clients but in the meantime, each service we provide must be defined and customized in a specific environment. If we are pretty much standardized, we will bring competitiveness, but we’ll miss some critical features for our clients. Whereas, if we are fully customized, we run the risk of being too expensive. The empowerment of our managers to make decisions quickly in front of our clients is key in this regard.
Moreover, talent acquisition is always at stake for a company. We’ve launched a lot of initiatives to attract new executive talented chefs and we make sure to give them authority to bring innovation and unique food experiences to our clients. By adapting now, we will build a more resilient culinary culture.
In your experience, what tends to be the most underestimated part of running a company? Can you share an example?
Maximilien Pellegrini: In my experience, effective communication is often the most underestimated aspect of running a company. This is not a question of corporate communication. Clear and transparent communication has to be daily through our managers. The content also has to be adapted to each layer and division of the company. This is part of the culture of the company. We inform people about what is going on, and what we do — sharing both failures and good practices.
It’s important to know that adapted, transparent, and regular communication fosters collaboration, drives engagement, and ultimately impacts productivity and morale.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Maximilien Pellegrini: If I could pick any business superpower, it would be the ability to instantly sit down with every employee face-to-face. This would enable us to leverage our people engagement to better serve our clients. I believe that if I take care of my people, they will take care of our clients.
What does “success” in 2024 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision
Maximilien Pellegrini: For me, success in 2024 encompasses both new businesses and retention rates. The capability to convince new prospects and increase the loyalty of our existing clients makes me the happiest CEO in the world. I can apply the same philosophy when it comes to team members. We must attract new talent and decrease the turnover of our teams.
On a personal level, success means continuous improvement of myself as a leader – constantly asking for and considering feedback.
Ultimately, achieving success metrics will position us well but as a company, we need to anticipate the market trend and be ready to meet tomorrow’s client’s expectations.
