Top 14: at the presidency of Clermont, Jean-Michel Guillon gives way to Jean-Claude Pats

Jean-Claude Pats, executive at Michelin, will succeed Jean-Michel Guillon as president of ASM Clermont on June 1, the Clermont club, 10th in the Top 14 rugby, announced on Wednesday.

Before the board of directors which met on Tuesday, Mr. Guillon, who had succeeded Eric de Cromières three years ago, who had remained in office for seven years before his death, expressed his desire not to solicit the renewal of his mandate as president, which comes to an end at the end of the season.

“In a complicated economic and sporting environment, I had accepted the mission of driving the necessary changes for the club. I made difficult decisions and I am well aware that they have not always been understood,” he said in a press release from the ASM.

"With the new sports project led by Christophe Urios, the strengthened collaboration between all the ASM entities and the clubs in the region as well as the implementation of a new economic strategy, we have the foundations to regain momentum in up to the expectations of our supporters and partners,” he added. Since 1995 and the establishment of professional rugby, Jean-Michel Guillon has been the president who has had the shortest term at the head of the Auvergne club. During this, the ASM experienced extra-sporting matters such as the departure of coach Franck Azéma which will be settled at the Labor Court or the complaints filed by Alexandre Lapandry, victim of concussions.

For his part, Jean-Claude Pats (63), who has spent his entire career at Michelin in various positions and business sectors in France and abroad, is also a member of the Group's Executive Committee. A graduate of Sciences Po Paris (economic and financial section), he will continue to carry out his missions within the Michelin group, which he joined in 1988 as technical sales manager, and within which he is personnel director, since 2019.