Rodolphe Saadé
Rodolphe Saadé | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 3, 1970 Lebanon |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Known for | Chairman of CMA CGM Group |
| Notable work | Led acquisition of Ceva Logistics; launched first LNG-powered container ship; founder of Zebox incubator |
Rodolphe Saadé (; ; born March 3, 1970) is a Franco-Lebanese entrepreneur serving as chairman of the CMA CGM Group, a worldwide leader in logistics and transportation. He succeeded his father, the company's founder Jacques Saadé. As of April 2024, his estimated net worth was approximately US$8.9 billion.
Saadé holds membership in The Business Council based in the United States.
Biography
Originally from Lebanon, Saadé is the son of Jacques Saadé and Naila Saadé (née Salem), who is the sister of CMA CGM co-founder Farid Salem. After completing business studies at Concordia University in Montreal, he established Dynamic Concept, a company specializing in water cooler distribution operating within Lebanon and Syria.
He joined CMA CGM in 1994, initially working in New York and Hong Kong before taking on roles at the Marseille headquarters between 1997 and 2004. During this period, he managed significant shipping routes covering the US, Mediterranean, Far East, Northern Europe, and transatlantic sectors. In 2004, he was appointed General Manager responsible for North-South Axis lines connecting America, Africa, Australia, and the Indian Ocean.
Following CMA CGM’s acquisition of Delmas in 2005, Saadé spearheaded its growth across Africa and the Indian Ocean region, successfully transforming it into a profitable maritime business. In 2008, he assumed leadership of Delmas and was instrumental in resolving a hostage situation involving a Compagnie du Ponant cruise vessel.
He was named Vice Chairman and joined CMA CGM’s board in 2010. In November 2017, he advanced to chairman and CEO.
Under his guidance, CMA CGM acquired a 25% share in Ceva Logistics during its April 2018 IPO and proceeded with a takeover offer in 2019, thereby creating an integrated global transport and logistics enterprise. He also relocated Ceva’s headquarters from Switzerland to France, generating around 200 new jobs.
In August 2018, Saadé launched Zebox, an incubator for startups based in Marseille, collaborating with partners including Accenture, BNP Paribas, EY, Centrimex, and Ceva. At the G7 summit held in August 2019, he pledged to refrain from using the Arctic’s Northeast Passage for ecological reasons.
September 2019 marked the debut of the world’s first LNG-powered container ship under his leadership. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, CMA CGM contributed 200,000 FFP2 masks to French healthcare authorities.
In May 2025, Saadé broadened his business interests by acquiring a 20% stake in the French film company Pathé.
Awards
Saadé has been honored as a Knight in the French Legion of Honor.
Personal life
Saadé lives in Marseille, France.