Business
Champagne Pol Roger Names Hadrien Mouflard as President Following Laurent d'Harcourt's Retirement
Laurent d'Harcourt is to retire as president of Champagne Pol Roger at the end of 2026 after more than two decades in the role, with Hadrien Mouflard, managing director of Ayala, appointed as his successor.
What happened
Champagne Pol Roger has announced that Laurent d'Harcourt will retire as president of the house at the end of 2026, bringing to a close a tenure spanning more than twenty years. His successor will be Hadrien Mouflard, who currently serves as managing director of Ayala, and who will cross from one storied Champagne house to another to assume the presidency.
Why it matters
Leadership continuity at a major Champagne house is rarely a quiet affair. A presidency held for over two decades carries considerable institutional weight — the relationships cultivated, the commercial strategies embedded, and the culture shaped across that span do not transfer overnight. The appointment of Mouflard, an executive already operating at the highest level within the Champagne industry, signals that Pol Roger is seeking to maintain momentum rather than invite disruption. His move from Ayala to Pol Roger is also a reminder of how talent circulates within Champagne's relatively compact world of grandes maisons, where experience at one house can prove directly transferable to another.
For the broader industry, executive transitions of this kind are closely watched. They offer an indication of where a house places its priorities and how it intends to position itself in an increasingly competitive global market for prestige sparkling wine.
Context
Champagne Pol Roger is one of the region's most recognised independent houses, with a history rooted firmly in Épernay. Ayala, from which Mouflard is departing, is another established name within the Champagne appellation. The movement of a managing director between two such houses underlines the degree to which senior talent in Champagne operates within a shared professional ecosystem.
D'Harcourt's retirement at the close of 2026 provides an orderly runway for the transition, allowing for a considered handover between the outgoing and incoming presidents. Mouflard will inherit a house with a well-established identity and a global reputation to steward.