Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
3/13/2015
Kurion’s newly appointed President Jacques Besnainou, a former AREVA official, said this week he hopes to grow the company’s work in the Department of Energy. Besnainou believes his experience working in the Department of Energy cleanup complex will prove valuable. “If you look at AREVA, I was the chairman of the AREVA Federal Services, and that company has been growing very fast in the DOE market,” Besnainou told RW Monitor this week. “If we bring the right technology, if we know the customers, if we make the right proposals, we can really have DOE as a great customer. I have a ton of respect for what they do. They know me, but I’m not the only one. So looking at teams to work with or working together, we are trying to bring some solutions to the DOE complex.”
Besnainou, whose appointment was announced this week, previously served as AREVA North America’s President and CEO, where he helped the company grow its back-end fuel cycle technologies in the U.S. market. He said Kurion’s recent growth attracted him to the company. “I have followed the growth of Kurion and have been highly impressed with the company’s technologies, business model and world-class team,” Besnainou said in a statement. “I am convinced that Kurion has the potential to be a major global player in the nuclear waste technology market, and I am excited to join the company at this important moment in its development.”
As President, Besnainou primarily role will be to manage the company, reporting to CEO Bill Gallo in the Office of the CEO. John Raymont, former president of the company, will continue to lead the company’s Japanese efforts while serving as founder and vice-chairman, according to Kurion. Raymont will continue to “provide the vision and strategic direction to guide Kurion’s entry into new markets and technologies, and will lead key initiatives that are critical to Kurion’s growth,” the company said. “We are delighted to welcome an executive of Jacques’ caliber to Kurion,” Raymont and Gallo said in a statement. “Jacques is the right leader at the right time to help us realize the company’s full potential.”
