Ontex accelerates CEO handover to start new financial year

BELGIUM – Ontex Group NV has hastened the start of Laurent Nielly’s tenure as Chief Executive Officer to January 13, 2026. 

Outgoing CEO Gustavo Calvo Paz will stay on until the end of January to ensure a smooth transition.​

Nielly will lead a thorough examination of every possible strategy to identify new paths to boost profitable expansion and tap Ontex’s built-in value. 

This assessment will explore key areas, including the business mix, operational setup, and sales channels, with the aim of improving cash flow and investment returns. 

To speed up this effort, the board will form a Strategy Committee to make quicker decisions and provide tighter monitoring of medium- to long-range objectives.​

In response to Jesper Hojer’s departure, the board has brought on Lorenzo Grabau as a non-executive member, with plans to seek shareholder approval soon. 

Grabau offers deep know-how in capital markets and business overhauls, drawing from his roles directing and advising listed and private firms. 

His past as President and CEO of Kinnevik AB, plus time as a Goldman Sachs partner, positions him well for Ontex’s value-building efforts.​

These steps highlight the board’s resolve to pursue every option to generate shareholder value. 

Meanwhile, Ontex Group has earned an ‘A’ rating on CDP’s annual A List for climate change transparency for the second consecutive year. 

This recognition highlights the company’s strong performance in governance, business strategy, and value chain engagement during the 2025 CDP Climate Change assessment.

Ontex achieved 100% renewable electricity across its global operations in 2025. 

The company expanded its product sustainability scorecard to integrate carbon transparency into its innovation and deepened supplier collaborations to ensure accurate Scope 3 emissions reporting. 

These efforts underscore priorities such as scaling energy efficiency, investing in renewable energy, reducing emissions, and embedding climate factors into financial decisions.

CDP, a global non-profit, runs the world’s independent environmental disclosure system, evaluating over 24,800 companies in 2024. 

Ontex’s A List placement positions it among the top performers, with full scores and methodology available on CDP’s site. 

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.