The CIS Group celebrated its 30th anniversary at the Palais du Pharo in Marseille, in the presence of its country and head office teams, as well as some of its customers, suppliers and friends. To mark the occasion, we wanted to dedicate this newsletter to the event, with a special interview with our Chairman, Régis Arnoux, to retrace the history of CIS!

You founded CIS 30 years ago. Can you tell us about its beginnings?

It all began 30 years ago, in August 1992, in Siberia, some 60 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, not far from the Russian town of Usinsk. A wilderness, freezing in winter and populated by hordes of insects in summer. We won a contract, not without difficulty, with the Canadian company Gulf. CIS had just been created and had no references. We had to convince the competition.

Each time, since Usinsk, we’ve been asked to prove ourselves. But these efforts were always shared by the teams ready to invest in the field. And that’s what enabled us, in the nineties, to respond to invitations to tender in Kazakhstan and Mongolia, which we won.

Why did you choose catering and accommodation business? And what’s more, in «extreme environments»?

I wasn’t predestined for this profession, but I was deeply passionate about travel, and my taste for adventure and my thirst for discovering other worlds led me to accept the position of Director of a SHRM subsidiary providing catering and hotel services in French Guiana.

Catering is an essential part of life, and we had to differentiate ourselves from the competition, which was more focused on traditional restaurants. Providing services to populations in isolated environments thus became the Group’s trademark.

CIS has been listed on the stock exchange since 1998. What prompted you to list?

We needed to enter a new phase of growth and gain international recognition. The IPO was a fundamental and incredibly time-consuming step, but we won our bet and demand turned out to be 90% higher than supply.

What are the main challenges CIS has faced since it was founded, and how has the company managed to overcome them?

The main challenges have been to penetrate new markets, establish our reputation in demanding environments and face fierce competition. However, we have succeeded in overcoming them by adopting a proactive approach, constantly seeking out new opportunities and adapting to the specific needs of each market. Another challenge was to extend our range of services to the facility management sector, with the aim of winning new contracts from increasingly demanding customers.

CIS is a committed corporate citizen. Could you remind us of the Group’s strong commitments since its creation?

The Group’s commitments are manifold: 

First and foremost, the health and safety of our teams remains the Group’s top priority. Our employees are our greatest asset. We pay particular attention to the development and well-being of our teams, and the «myCIS» project is designed to help them flourish within the Group. Secondly, we aim to pursue our drive for operational excellence, in order to offer our customers the best possible quality of service, in strict compliance with international health and safety standards.

In addition, we have always been strongly committed to the local populations close to our countries of operation. Recruiting local staff, supporting orphanages and working with local suppliers and producers are all part of CIS’s strong commitment. CIS is also actively determined to play a key role in promoting a sustainable and responsible approach, and has implemented concrete actions to reduce its impact on the environment. Finally, a strong commitment to the Group’s enduring values and ethical principles.

CIS is uniquely positioned in remote site management. How do you intend to continue strengthening its position as one of the world leaders in this sector?

CIS’s strategy is clear: forge alliances with leading partners (most recently with Turkey’s Dorce Group), target major global projects as a priority, positioning itself in new high-potential countries also through external growth, and integrate innovative new services based on the Smart4You digital platform.

The Group’s second strategic thrust is to position itself as an integrated services platform in France, focusing on high value-added cleaning-related activities (air treatment, disinfection, etc.) through acquisition.

Since January 1, 2023, the Group’s governance has changed. How is it organized?

The evolution of governance is an important process to ensure the protection and continuity of CIS. In Yannick Morillon, I found the ideal person to steer the company towards new horizons. After three years as Chief Operating Officer, during which he proved his managerial and commercial skills, as well as his commitment to the Group’s values, Yannick Morillon was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of CIS, and together we have established a relationship of trust.

For my part, as Chairman of the Board of Directors, I have the satisfaction of continuing to support CIS, in particular in defining its strategic development directions and measuring the risks involved, alongside a strengthened Executive Committee and highly experienced directors. This new governance structure guarantees the Group’s continuity, performance and independence as a family-owned group.