“Making money for the sake of making money is meaningless if humanity does not benefit from it”

Since Philippe de Selliers took the helm of Leonidas, seven years ago now, the chocolate factory has recorded constant growth and, for the third year in a row, it has achieved the best turnover in its history.

He is energetic, smiling, passionate and greedy, with a CV dripping with experience. Philippe de Selliers has been at the head of Leonidas for seven years. A real feat when we know that before him, the company changed bosses seven times in twelve years. “Leonidas was exactly what I wanted,” recalls the CEO. What attracted him to this company? The family history of this century-old Belgian company, but also and above all what the brand evokes. “Chocolate is, par excellence, what best represents Belgium and makes it shine internationally,” he smiles, recalling in passing that Leonidas is available in 40 countries around the world.

Philippe de Selliers has more than 30 years of experience, only two of which outside the food industry, at Van Marcke, the sanitaryware company. “I am not a service man, but a product man. I need to feel things, to taste, that motivates me terribly”. Before Leonidas, Philippe de Selliers worked for six years at Mars, before spending 17 years at the Coca-Cola Company. “I modified the business model of Coke in Belgium, and it has also been copied in other European countries, which is a source of great pride, he enthuses. We were considered the best Coke country in the world,” he adds, referring to a global competition won three times out of four under his leadership.

Direct decision-making power

Unlike his former company, Philippe de Selliers is his own boss at Leonidas. “There are not many family businesses where we have direct decision-making power,” he notes. One of the decisions that makes him particularly proud dates back to 2021, when Leonidas went, practically in one go, from 0 to 100% certified sustainable cocoa. “A no-brainer” for those who believe that the company’s social responsibility is at stake. “My goal is that the entire food chain can enjoy, whether it’s their work or their praline.”

Although the CEO’s decisions are direct, he does not forget the individual responsibilities of his employees, which he is keen to promote. “I believe in the ability of people to make decisions in their own areas,” he continues. Lucid, he recalls that the position of CEO is always prescribed to employees. “I am well aware that my presence was imposed on them, but I believe I enjoy a certain amount of trust and I have never lied to them. Even when there are difficult communications to be made, I am completely transparent.”

In Belgium, Leonidas is supported by 420 employees, including some 200 production employees, 70 in offices (sales, marketing, administration, etc.) and 150 in integrated stores. The company also has a network of 1,200 franchisees. “A society is above all the sum of the talents that make it up,” recalls Philippe de Selliers. Twice a week, he goes down to the production workshop to meet the employees. “I know everyone in the company,” he assures. I love contact and I try to take the positive from each person, continues the man who considers himself a conductor. My role is to put the right people in the right places, to develop their potential to the maximum, and then to make them play together.”

For Philippe de Selliers, the most important thing is to be surrounded by happy people, both in his personal and professional life. “This is what I want to leave as a legacy,” he insists. I am a social capitalist, I think that making money for the sake of making money is meaningless if humanity does not benefit.” For the CEO, these are four values ​​that drive him after all these years: team spirit, responsibility, respect/integrity and passion. “My goal is to share this passion with my colleagues so that they want to give their maximum.” Going against the grain of business coaching which recommends improving one’s weaknesses, Philippe de Selliers prefers to work on people’s strengths. “Look at Lionel Messi, he can’t head, but he has an incredible left foot.”

A new factory at 82 million

It is clear that the Phillipe de Selliers method works. Since he took the helm of the company, it has been constantly growing and achieved, for the third year in a row, the best turnover in its history. Compared to 2023, Leonidas recorded an increase in sales of 13%. “Our policy is not to increase the price of our products,” explains the CEO. Thanks to this attractive pricing policy, the company increased its turnover by almost 50% and almost tripled its Ebitda in seven years (including two years marked by covid).

At the same time, the company intends to strengthen its coverage in France with the opening of 30 stores per year and a target of 500 points of sale within five years. Other openings in the Netherlands or Romania are also planned. Ultimately, Philippe de Selliers is aiming for around fifty openings per year in other markets. “It’s probably too ambitious, but I prefer to set the bar higher,” he smiles. For the CEO, the results obtained are all the more impressive as a large part of the Leonidas team is devoting significant energy to the construction of the new factory in Nivelles, the end of work of which is scheduled for 2025. “Thanks based on our results, the shareholders decided to invest 82 million euros, he specifies. It’s still a fantastic development for a 110-year-old Belgian company.”

However, Philippe de Selliers was not spared from the crises. Health crisis first, “the one which was undoubtedly the most stressful, mainly for our franchisees”, recalls the CEO. Then there was the war in Ukraine, then the explosion in the price of cocoa and now butter. Crises that he was able to manage by anticipating his purchases of raw materials in particular. Internally, the succession of all these crises made him “the worst” of the CEOs. Concerned about their boss, his teams decided to offer him a horseshoe. “I keep it very carefully,” he smiles. Will the item be effective for Manager of the Year?