Eric et Arnaud Louis – Helen Traiteur
From father to son
by Clotilde Roux
Deux mousquetaires pour un duel de poêles en toute complicité!
Having completed his hotel management studies, Eric Louis joined Helen Traiteur, the family catering business that specialises in organising high-end receptions. In 1993 he took over the reins of the company that had been founded by his parents in 1959, turning it into a very profitable concern that has grown its turnover from an initial €2.5 million to €11.4 million in 2022. His son Arnaud, for his part, tried his hand at every role before becoming head of business development in the French Riviera. Having endured the difficult Covid period, they decided they should work together. “It’s not easy working with your son because you see him as both your child and your colleague, but after 30 years at the helm, I knew we needed to breathe new life into the business.” After a year as CEO, Arnaud officially bought the company in late 2022. “My aim is to improve on everything that has made Helen Traiteur so successful rather than revolutionising the company. I always draw on past experience to build the future,” he says. “Each of us has had to find our place because personal emotions can very quickly interfere with business judgement.” Eric, now 60, has taken on other duties, including training. Arnaud has introduced a new, more modern dynamic and brought the company into the digital age but has not lost sight of family values and his father’s legacy. And it seems to have done the trick because Helen Traiteur’s reported double-digit growth in 2023, ending the year with revenues of €13.4 million (up 15%).
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