Daher appoints Michel Denis as its Chief Executive Officer

Daher’s Board of Directors today announced the appointment of Michel Denis as the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026.
06/08/2026
The Board of Directors of Daher, chaired by Thibault Scaramanga, has decided to establish a strengthened executive leadership structure, composed of a Chief Executive Officer and Aymeric Daher, the Executive Deputy CEO – reflecting a commitment to complementary leadership and continuity.
The Board appointed Michel Denis as the Group’s C hief Executive Officer beginning July 1. An engineering graduate of École Centrale de Lyon (1989) and ESSEC Business School (1991), he successfully held several senior executive positions in demanding industrial and service-sector environments. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Manitou Group, a family-owned company.
« Michel Denis brings top-tier industrial expertise to Daher, both in leading corporate transformations and in managing the stakeholders of a family-owned business,” said Thibault Scaramanga, Chairman of the Daher Board of Directors. “He also will bring a fresh perspective to our Executive Committee. Together with Aymeric Daher, whose knowledge of the aerospace ecosystem is unparalleled, they will form a complementary and ambitious leadership team dedicated to the Group’s development – today and for the future. »
Michel Denis stated: « I would like to thank the Board of Directors for its confidence. It is with great pride and a deep sense of responsibility that I join the Daher Group. Its global stature, family roots, long-term and responsible vision, and leading market position are all remarkable strengths. Mindful of the value of this heritage, I will fully dedicate myself to ensuring its continued prosperity. »
Thibault Scaramanga will continue to serve as the Daher Group’s Interim Chief Executive Officer in coordination with Aymeric Daher and the entire Executive Committee until Michel Denis assumes his duties on July 1.

A graduate of École Centrale de Lyon and ESSEC, Michel Denis, 61, honed his strategic expertise in consulting before taking operational leadership roles at Dalkia, and later at Johnson Controls. In 2003, he joined Fraikin Group – Europe’s leading full-service industrial vehicle leasing company – where he became Chief Executive Officer.
For more than 12 years, he led Manitou Group, a global leader in material handling and access platforms that operates in 35 countries and generates annual revenue of €2.7 billion. Michel Denis oversaw a remarkable expansion of the company’s business activities. Under his leadership, the Group experienced unprecedented international growth while remaining firmly anchored in its heritage and French regional presence.
Beyond restoring profitability, his three terms as CEO were marked by substantial investments in industrial capabilities and a major acceleration of the company’s decarbonization strategy.
Recognized for his people-oriented leadership, pragmatic approach, and strong customer-focused culture, Michel Denis brings expertise in value creation that will serve as a strategic asset in supporting Daher’s ambitions and embedding a lasting culture of operational excellence within the company.
About Daher (www.daher.com)
As an aircraft manufacturer, industrial company, industrial services provider, and logistics specialist, Daher currently employs 14,500 people, with a revenue of €1.9 billion in 2025. Backed by its family ownership, Daher has been innovation-driven since its founding in 1863. With operations in approximately 15 countries across Europe, North America and Asia, Daher designs and develops value-added solutions for its aerospace and industrial customers and partners.
Media contact:
Jeffrey Lenorovitz
Daher Vice President – Communications
e-mail: j.lenorovitz@daher.com
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