Loic Raffré

As Chief Technology Officer at Groupe Lacour, my role is to align technology, product design, and business goals to deliver tools that make a real difference to repairers, insurers, and industry experts. I lead a team of over 100 people — developers, product owners, data scientists, QA, tech leads and UX designers — to build and improve tools like parts catalogs, technical databases, damage estimation systems and digital products for automotive insurance professionals, each product is designed with deep user understanding and operational impact in mind. AI is not a feature—it's a core enabler. We embed it to transform user experience, automate decision-making, and scale value delivery across the entire product ecosystem.

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Assumed leadership of the ADLPerformance IT Department after it was unoccupied for two years. Reorganized the IT Department into four main areas with 27 full-time employees: - Management of Application Operations - Oversight of Technical Operations and Support - Coordination of Sales Systems Projects - Direction of Internet Projects Spearheaded the creation and supervision of the IT Department's project timelines. Transitioned the production infrastructure to OVH and Amazon cloud services, achieving a one-third reduction in hosting expenses. Crafted a comprehensive security policy for the information system, addressing PCIDSS, RGPD, and ISO 27K standards applicable to the Group and its subsidiaries. Oversaw the Group's GDPR compliance initiative. Instituted and applied a DevOps strategy to ensure the integrity of the software development lifecycle. Set and managed the budget for IT operations. Skills: IT governance, IT infrastructure management, leadership, IT transformation, information technology.

After the acquisition of Intescia press activities by NewsCo Group, the following developments were made: I headed the NewsCo Digital Business Unit (BU) and organized it within the NewsCo group, which involved : - Project team coordination and agile management of digital projects. - Systems auditing, establishing a unified technical platform for all group entities, and facilitating the digitization of internal processes, including accounting and human resources. - Integration of various internal IT systems into a single Vmware virtualized infrastructure. - Additionally, the operating budget for the BU was prepared and tracked. Oversight of Profit and Loss (PnL) was also a key responsibility. Key competencies involved in these processes included : Organizational Leadership - IT Governance -Management of IT Infrastructures - Leadership in IT Transformation - Information Technology, and Web Applications.

Led the transformation and management of a 23-person full-time team to facilitate InteScia group’s digital overhaul. Executed a comprehensive revamp of the web production process on a unified technological platform, encompassing: - The optimization of conversion pathways for a content website and e-commerce platform. - Establishing the specifications for technical and commercial frameworks. - Crafting functional requirements focused on boosting site conversion rates and visitor engagement. In 2014, oversaw the launch of mobile apps for the group's four flagship brands: - Strategies, - Directions, - Coiffure de Paris - Cosmétique mag. 4 mobile applications launched at the same time on a very tight schedule. Handled numerous Request for Proposals (RFPs) with various development firms, outlining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and corporate requirements. Ensured diligent oversight of the implementation and integration with the company's existing internal systems, including CRM, ERP, and accounting software. Executed the transition of all production servers to Vmware 5.5, which resulted in a hosting cost reduction by one-third. Devised an Information System (IS) structuring plan and a comprehensive risk analysis protocol. Managed the remote operations of InteScia's IT endeavors in Spain and Tunisia. Administered and tracked the IT Department’s fiscal plan. Skills include: Web development, web design, web services, mobile applications, mobile technology, budget management, recruitment, IT governance, IT infrastructure management, leadership, IT transformation, and information technology.

I directed a comprehensive revamp of our B2B franchise-centric e-commerce systems for Monceau Fleurs, Rapid'Flore, and Happy, enhancing both the technical and functional capabilities to boost business efficacy. This initiative encompassed a critical transition from a legacy ASP/SQL framework to a state-of-the-art LAMP stack, which required a complete reengineering of system architecture, development processes, and operational protocols. Central to my role was the refinement of the e-commerce journey, optimizing the online ordering process to improve the end-user experience significantly. I was at the helm of designing and rolling out a robust multi-site network infrastructure that ensures optimal performance across our headquarters, logistical centers, and ensures consistent connectivity for our partners through sophisticated LAN and WAN configurations. I actively managed the strategic planning and seamless integration of all information systems and telecommunications projects, aligning them with the brand promotion strategies across the Group's three divisions. My leadership was crucial in syncing our information systems strategies with the Group's ambitious commercial objectives, which include scaling to 1,000 retail outlets within a five-year timeframe. As the leader of a dedicated IT team of 6 full-time equivalents (FTEs), I have focused on strategic deployment and leadership to propel our IT endeavors forward. Main skills : Digital transformation - IT governance - Infrastructure management - Strategic leadership -Technological revamping - Comprehensive IT expertise.

Implemented a technical upgrade for PMU's online betting platform (parier.pmu.fr, with sales of €550 million per year), tackling the challenge of being six months overdue from the planned launch date. Coordinated and directed a detailed three-month quality assurance strategy alongside the software publisher and hosting provider. This included an array of performance and stress tests to ensure a smooth transition to the new online betting service, with active participation from essential partners. Secured the website's successful debut by rigidly adhering to the established acceptance protocol. Took charge of the daily IT project management in collaboration with marketing and product teams. Tasks involved were requirement gathering, drafting specifications, guiding development cycles, conducting usability and ergonomic evaluations, and overseeing the testing stages through to the final rollout for user engagement. Specialized skills include: Project Turnaround and Timely Delivery - Quality Assurance and Testing Procedures - Stakeholder and Partner Coordination - IT Project Lifecycle Administration - Requirement Analysis and Specification Documentation - Usability and Ergonomic Analysis - Supervision of Software Development.

In this role, my core duties were: Recruiting and supervising an Operations team of around 10 to 15 systems engineers with a focus on system administration and network operations. Designing and managing Aol France's web infrastructure utilizing a tech stack that includes Apache, TomCat, and PHP, and overseeing a diverse range of projects from portal applications to premium services, billing solutions, and the optimization of the Aol search engine, operational across both Linux and Solaris environments. This responsibility extends to the orchestration of services across a vast array of servers (up to 250), strategically positioned worldwide and segmented across production, pre-production, and qualification stages. Conducting rigorous qualification and performing load testing on a suite of web applications, leveraging advanced tools such as Webload and Jmeter to ensure scalability and robustness. Deploying and fine-tuning open-source monitoring and reporting utilities, with the objective of crafting detailed weekly dashboards that provide insights into SLAs and QoS for internal stakeholders. Engaging in consistent dialogue with our US counterparts, encompassing the presentation of technical strategies for Aol France and syncing through weekly conference calls to ensure alignment and share best practices. Formulating and enacting incident response strategies and disaster recovery plans to safeguard continuity and minimize downtime in the event of unforeseen disruptions. Managing internal data center operations, ensuring optimal performance, security, and compliance with industry standards. Ensuring adherence to Sarbanes-Oxley and Visa PCI-CISP regulations through meticulous implementation and routine audit participation, upholding stringent security and compliance standards. Initiating and guiding the development of internal websites built on the Joomla! CMS framework, inclusive of customizing new components and modules to meet our specific operational needs.

I was responsible for the foundational IT setup of the French Lastminute offices, orchestrating the deployment of desktop systems, file server configurations, and secure VPN connections to the UK offices, alongside comprehensive management of the internal network infrastructure. I also led rigorous security audits and penetration testing for the web environments of both Lastminute and Degriftour, ensuring robust defense mechanisms against potential cyber threats. Additionally, I spearheaded the development of bespoke internal applications tailored for back-office functionalities on the LAMP platform, enhancing operational efficiency. In this role, I adeptly managed and supervised the engagements with third-party contractors and service providers, ensuring the delivery of quality IT services in alignment with organizational objectives.

System administration with, +250 desktops, +15 NT servers. Web, Mail, DNS, and Firewall management. Contractors and providers management