Lagardère Travel Retail creates External Affairs division; John Rimmer joins as Senior Advisor

FRANCE. Lagardère Travel Retail has created a dedicated External Affairs department, strengthening industry outreach and engagement with other industry stakeholders. This function is integrated with the retailer’s Corporate Communications activities.

The division is led by Baptiste Duguit, who is named Executive Vice President of Business Development, Corporate Communications & External Affairs. Duguit has over ten years of experience at Lagardère Travel Retail, playing a key role in its business development drive over that period. 

To support the External Affairs department, Lagardère Travel Retail has welcomed highly regarded industry executive John Rimmer (former Tax Free World Association Managing Director) as Senior Advisor – Corporate Communications & External Affairs.  

The retailer noted: “John’s knowledge of the industry and his network will be invaluable in fostering meaningful collaborations with our business partners.” 

Rimmer’s new role is in addition to his position as Director of JCR Consulting, the consultancy he recently established, which supports other organisations in the sector, notably in the area of advocacy.

Before he became TFWA Managing Director in October 2017, Rimmer had been the association’s Conference, Research and Corporate Affairs Director since October 2012. He is notably recognised for successfully developing TFWA’s two major exhibitions and its other elements, as well as for steering the association through travel retail’s most difficult and turbulent period, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier in his career, he served as Executive Director: Business Development at The Moodie Report (now The Moodie Davitt Report) and before that as Deputy Director Business Development at leading French travel retailer Aelia. He also worked as Editor at Duty-Free News International.

In other Lagardère Travel Retail moves, Gaëtan Labardin is joining the Corporate Communication & External Affairs team as International Corporate Communication Manager, replacing Emeline Bizot. 

Lagardère Travel Retail added: “We welcome Gaëtan and would also like to thank Emeline for all she has done in external communications, as well as for her dedication and passion for our company. 

“This reorganisation reflects our ambition to strengthen our industry presence and reinforce our position as a trusted partner in travel retail.”