AVANQUEST SOFTWARE : Ariane Gorin to join the Board of Directors of Avanquest

Ariane Gorin, VP in charge of Market Management at Expedia, for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has accepted a proposal to become part of the Board of Directors of Avanquest. She joins Amélie Faure, entrepreneur and member of the board of BPI France, named end of 2012. At the same time, Olivier Hua and Todd Helfstein, who were previously auditors, are now appointed as directors.

These changes in governance continue in the direction taken with the arrival of Pierre Cesarini as Group CEO last May 15. The skills of these two new independent personalities will add value to the new strategic orientation for Avanquest. After the just-ended transitional phase, the objective is now to get back on the track of growth and performance.

Ariane Gorin was selected for her knowledge of the technologies sector and for the international scope of her career. After working for the Boston Consulting Group in San Francisco and Paris, she joined Microsoft in 2003 where she held strategic positions in sales and marketing in France and Europe. In the course of her career, Ariane Gorin acquired outstanding expertise in technological products for consumers and businesses. Since March 2013, she has been VP in charge of Market Management at Expedia, for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), tasked with leading the hotel partner portfolio and business in that region.

Amélie Faure has successfully headed many companies in the digital sector. After co-founding GeneriX, a software publisher, in 1990, she took over the reins at Augeo Software in 1999, Pertinence in 2003, and IsCool Entertainement in 2011. In 2013, she was also named to the board of directors of the new BPI France.

"We are delighted at the idea of welcoming to our Board of Directors Amélie and Ariane, two figures with complementary skills. With Avanquest now realizing more than 45% of sales in online software, their expertise in the digital markets will greatly enhance our team. Their contributions, stoked by their vision and experiences, will certainly strengthen our strategic decisions," said Bruno Vanryb, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

The appointments of Amélie Faure and Ariane Gorin will also be a step towards the feminization of Avanquest's Board of Directors, mirroring the increasingly important role of women in the digital sector.

Chaired by the group's founder, Bruno Vanryb, the Avanquest Software Board of Directors includes representatives of its principal shareholders as well as outside figures recognized for their experience both in financial matters and in the digital sector: Serge Bedrossian, Roger Bloxberg, Andy Goldstein, Todd Helfstein, Olivier Hua, Philippe Olivier and Roger Tondeur (see the attached biographies).