At the age of 64, the son of the founder Jean Desjoyaux heads up a profitable business that is experiencing a high level of growth, with new international ambitions.

1. Jean Louis Desjoyaux aims high as Desjoyaux pools celebrates its
anniversary
Jean Louis Desjoyaux
At the age of 64, the son of the founder Jean Desjoyaux heads up a profitable business that is
experiencing a high level of growth, with new international ambitions. An eternal optimist, Jean-
LouisDesjoyaux believesthatinthe hands of his children and nephews the company “really has the
potential to explode”.
Buzzing with energy, he's at the football every week without fail, a die-hard fan. At the age of 64,
Jean-LouisDesjoyaux travelledtoParisonWednesdayfromhis birthplace in Cuzieu (Saint-Étienne),
taking along his anniversary book to celebrate 50 years of Desjoyaux pools. With his children and
collaborators, Nicolas and Fanny, by his side, he appeared truly in his element. Listed on the stock
marketwithhealthyprofits,thisfamilybusinessis continuingwithitsquesttoconquerthe worldand
isevenaimingfor“a rapidacceleration”witharoundtwentyfranchisesopening in France, as well as
in Turkey, Hungary, Israel and elsewhere.
Notjust the Americandream...the Chinese dream
Witha turnoverof €89 millionandveryfew debts,75% of the companyiscontrolledbythe family

2. withthe financial firmLazardas a keyshareholder.The groupisnow alsotakingstridesinChina,with
its37-year-oldheirdirectlyleadingthesemovesinhiscapacityasGroupSalesDirector.All that
remainsisforthe CEO's brotherandhistwo sonsbasedinThailandto convertthe restof Asiato
Desjoyaux swimmingpools!
The other bigchallenge left for Jean-Louis Desjoyaux, the distant cousin of the famous sailor of the
same name,isto cross the Atlanticviahisfledglingsubsidiary.Still the Americandream...“Swimming
poolsare the onlythingtheydon'thave franchisesfor”,laughsthe down-to-earthcompany director,
who prefers to keep his feet on dry land. Having left school early to join his father Jean Desjoyaux
who was a tiler by trade, as well as a builder with a visionary approach, they launched their grand
venture in the late Sixties. “Who would ever have imagined that his business, listed on the stock
exchange, would one day become the worldwide leader for in-ground swimming pools, with over
200,000 installed to date?” admires his heir.
The patriarch passedawayin2015 at the age of 85, visitingthe factoryeverydayandneverhidinghis
sense of pride. Proud also to see this family business being passed down through his descendants.
While his 31-year-old sister Fanny is the Desjoyaux Marketing and Communications Manager, 37-
year-old business school graduate Nicolas is the ideal candidate to take over the reins in the long
term.“Passingthe business down through the generations is fantastic. It really has the potential to
explode intheirhands”,saysJean-LouisDesjoyaux. Focusingonexports,smallerand'smart' pools,an
extremely modern high-output factory and a cutting-edge R&D department, his aim is to add 100
sales outlets to the 350 existing ones within four years, and increase export sales from the current
35% to 50%.
Article publishedinLe Figaro – Carole Bellemare