France’s state-controlled horseracing betting operator Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) has appointed Eric Woerth as its new chairman.
Woerth is a former Minister of the Budget and Member of Parliament and succeeds interim chair Joël Séché, subject to final approval by the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP), an independent French institution responsible for ensuring the integrity, honesty, and transparency of public officials.
His appointment follows a proposal by racing bodies France Galop and Le Trot, and approval from the French Ministries of Agriculture and Finance.
Since September, Woerth has served as the government-appointed lead for the “PMU 2030 Pact”, a strategic roadmap designed to transform and future-proof the French horse racing industry.
In his new role as chairman, Woerth will work closely with PMU’s recently appointed CEO Cyrille Giraudat, who will continue to lead the operator’s day-to-day modernization efforts and accelerate the development of its activities for the benefit of the horse racing industry.
Séché served as interim chair for the past six months following the departure of Richard Viel.