Bourbon has named Olivier Blaringhem as its next Chief Executive Officer, with the former Subsea7 executive set to succeed Gaël Bodénès on 14 September.

Blaringhem brings more than 25 years of experience in offshore services, engineering and major energy projects. He spent most of his career at Subsea7, where he held senior management roles across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Since 2020, he has served as Executive Vice President of Subsea7’s subsea and conventional business, overseeing operations across several key offshore markets.

The appointment comes as Bourbon continues its growth strategy following a fleet expansion program and financial restructuring.

Blaringhem described Bourbon as a company with a strong operational platform, citing its fleet, customer relationships and market position.

His initial priorities will include improving operational performance, strengthening commercial relationships and pursuing growth opportunities across the company’s core offshore markets.

The leadership transition follows a period of expansion for Bourbon. Earlier this year, the company announced the addition of 13 offshore support vessels valued at more than $180 million, representing one of its largest fleet growth programs in recent years.

The vessel acquisitions followed the group’s financial restructuring, which Bourbon said improved its operating model while maintaining exposure to deepwater offshore activity.

Gaël Bodénès, who has led Bourbon since 2017 and spent more than two decades with the company, was credited with guiding the business through a period of significant transformation.

Headquartered in Marseille, Bourbon remains one of the world’s largest offshore support vessel operators, serving offshore energy markets across West Africa, the Mediterranean, Latin America and Asia.