Annual Report 2021

Governance

as of 12.31.2021

The Board of Directors is composed of 13 members: 11 who are appointed at the Annual General Meeting and two who represent Air Liquide employees. The Board of Directors brings together a diverse range of profiles. Five nationalities are represented from Europe, America and Asia and 55% of elected members are women. They bring a wealth of skills (financial, managerial, digital, scientific, international development, etc.) and a diversity of experience in a variety of sectors (chemicals, consumer products, healthcare, research, services, construction, automotive, etc.).

The Board of Directors determines Air Liquide’s objectives and ensures their implementation in line with its corporate interest, by taking into account the social and environmental stakes of its business. Accordingly, it examines and approves the Group’s major strategic priorities.

In 2021, it focused in particular on the impacts that the Covid-19 pandemic had on the Group and notably the measures taken to protect the health of employees; performance analysis; the Group’s strategy taking into account environmental and social issues; the continued application of the Sustainable Development policy and the establishment of new ESG/Climate objectives; the development of the new 2025 ADVANCE strategic plan; industrial investment decisions; the energy transition and the development of hydrogen; and governance matters, including the decision to separate the roles of Chairman of the Board of Directors and of Chief Executive Officer. In this context, the Board that will meet after the May 2022 Annual General Meeting will be asked to renew the mandate of Benoît Potier as Chairman of the Board of Directors and to appoint François Jackow as Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2022.