Sophie L’Hélias

Sophie L’Helias is an international corporate governance and ESG expert with extensive activist stewardship and deep knowledge of financial markets and investor sentiment. She is president of LeaderXXchange, a trusted advisory firm that develops value-creating solutions through the integration of sustainability and diversity in strategy, leadership and investment.

Ms. L’Helias serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including ECGI (European Corporate Governance Institute), a nonprofit organization that supports high-quality academic research. She is also a board member of HCGE (Haut Comité de Gouvernement d’Entreprise), the self-regulating body that oversees the implementation of the AFEP-MEDEF code. Additionally, she serves as non-executive director on the board of Africa50, a development impact fund dedicated to improving infrastructure in Africa; Agence France Locale, a community lending financial institution; and the Echiquier Positive Impact Europe and Climate Impact Europe funds. 

She is a fellow at The Conference Board ESG Center in New York; serves on the Advisory Board of the Hawkamah Governance Institute in Dubai; and is the former lead independent director of Kering, a global luxury group.

Ms. L’Helias was the recipient of the 2019 International Corporate Governance Network Lifetime Achievement Award in Corporate Governance; the 2019 New York Women in Asset Management Award – ESG; and the 2018 Global Proxy Watch GPW 10 Award that designates the ten most salutary corporate governance influences in the world each year. In addition, she was featured in Forbes’ 40 French Women Leaders list in 2019.