Philippe Sumeire is Company Secretary and Secretary of the Board of Directors of Groupe SEB, a world leader in small domestic appliances and cookware, headquartered in France. With a turnover of close to €7 b., Groupe SEB operates 40 manufacturing and R&D sites across 150 countries through 144 affiliates and is particularly known for brands such as Rowenta, Tefal/T-Fal, Krups, SEB, Calor, All-Clad, WMF, Lagostina and Moulinex. Groupe SEB is the world’s largest manufacturer of irons and steamers, electric cookers and non-stick cooking appliances.

Philippe Sumeire manages the Legal Department, which includes 28 corporate lawyers at headquarters in Écully, close to Lyon, and 30 lawyers overseas, including at ZHEJIANG SUPOR Co., a Chinese affiliate listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

During his 35-year career, Philippe Sumeire worked as a lawyer in the international departments of industrial groups such as Peugeot SA and Atochem (a subsidiary of Elf Aquitaine in the mid-1980s). His first position as General Counsel, in 1989, was at Club Med, followed by roles in other businesses managing larger teams, such as Giat Industries, the national manufacturer of land defence systems, including tanks. He became Vice-President Legal and Secretary of the Board of Moulinex SA in 1998 and assisted the Board of Directors and executives in 2001–2002 during the bankruptcy and restructuring process of Moulinex SA (share issues, restructuring plans, the legal transfer of assets to SEB and co-operation with the receivers).

In addition to his responsibilities within Groupe SEB, Philippe is an active member of the Cercle Montesquieu, the leading association of General Counsel and senior legal executives in France. He also serves as President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Commission, where he contributes to fostering dialogue and sharing best practice among legal and governance professionals in the region.

Philippe holds a doctorate in private law from the University of Marseilles III.

He is a private pilot.