# Eric Thord

> Eric Thord is the French CEO of Hirsch Group, formerly Vitaprotech, which he has led since 2012. His career spans industrial restructuring, Sorhea and Vesta Capital, followed by acquisitions bringing access control, perimeter protection and video software into an international security group.

- **Role:** CEO at Hirsch Group (formerly Vitaprotech)
- **Organizations:** Hirsch Group, Vitaprotech, ST Group, Sorhea, Vesta Capital
- **Nationality:** French
- **Education:** Materials engineering, Polytech, MBA, HEC Paris
- **Known for:** Led the group since 2012., Oversaw the combination with Hirsch and Identiv’s physical security business in 2024., Candidate for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in June 2026.

## Career timeline

- **1993** — Worked on transferring industrial encapsulation processes from Le Mans to the United States.
- **2005** — Turned toward acquiring established security businesses after his MBA.
- **2010** — Joined Sorhea as general manager.
- **2012** — Invested alongside UI Gestion in the Sorhea holding structure; began leading the group.
- **2018** — ST Group became Vitaprotech with Eurazeo backing.
- **2019** — Led expansion including ARD, TDSi and Vauban Systems.
- **2023** — Group acquired Harper Chalice; Seven2 lists 2023 as its investment year.
- **2024** — Identiv’s physical security business, including Hirsch, joined the group; transaction closed September 6.
- **2026** — Continued as CEO as the group adopted the Hirsch name on January 1.

## Achievements

- Led the group since 2012.
- Oversaw the combination with Hirsch and Identiv’s physical security business in 2024.
- Candidate for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in June 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — Profiled as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year candidate and discussed his 2028 revenue target.
- **2026-01** — The group adopted the Hirsch name, with Thord remaining CEO.
- **2025-07** — New channel-focused organization took effect following his May interview.

## Links

- LinkedIn: https://fr.linkedin.com/in/eric-thord-75307b1b

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/eric-thord
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-14