At Re-New, we give the floor to those who have taken the bold step of acquiring a company. Today, we meet Hugues Trogan, a former senior executive in telecoms and digital, who recently became the new owner of Comwest, an SME specializing in signage. A conversation full of concrete lessons, clarity, and humanity.
đź’ˇ Why did you choose Comwest?
"Icame from a career as a senior executive in digital and telecoms, but I neededto find meaning again. I was looking for a company that creates somethingbeautiful—something employees can be proud of. At first, I looked intowoodworking, but ultimately, it was at Comwest that I found what I was lookingfor: a company that designs, manufactures, and installs all types of customizedindoor and outdoor signage—visible, durable, and always different."
🔄 How is taking over a company different fromyour previous life?
"Everything.In a large company, you have an HR director, a marketing director, a CFO. AtComwest, you are all of those at once. You have to know how to doeverything—from strategic management… to checking if there’s toilet paper left.Jokes aside, the reality is more hands-on, more human. In the first months, youneed to be everywhere at once. It’s demanding, but deeplyrewarding."
🧠How did you prepare for this big shift?
"Evenwith experience, you don’t take over a company without preparation. I followedthe CRA training programs (“Buying a Business” and “The First 100 Days”), whichhelped me refine my project, confirm that I was really made for it, meet theright partners, and learn company valuation techniques. Of course, you need alawyer and an accountant—but above all, you need a network. These arehuman decisions, not just financial ones."
🤝 What was most decisive in your journey?
"Thenetwork of acquirers. After the CRA program, we created a WhatsApp group withother buyers. Thanks to one of them, I came across Comwest—via an email thatwas almost sent by accident. Then I validated the seriousness of the deal bycalling three entrepreneur friends in Rouen who knew the seller well."
đź‘Ą How did you bring your team on board?
"Fromday one, I presented my three guiding principles: trust, dialogue, and rigor.We immediately launched a collective project—a showroom—that had long been adream within the company. We co-designed it through participative workshops.Today, everyone contributes their piece of the puzzle. It’s a powerfuldriver of cohesion."
đź’¬ What advice would you give to futureacquirers?
"Those who congratulated me weren’t just applauding the acquisition itself, but mypersistence. That word came up every time."
🙌 One last word?
"Idon’t regret it for a second. I wanted meaning, and I found it. When you leavethe world of big corporations—always chasing quarterly forecasts dictated byVPs who change every 18 months—taking over an SME means rediscovering theconcrete, the local, the lasting. That’s where a good part of the real economytruly happens."
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