Benoit Thebaut was born in Paris and holds a master’s degree in International Business and Marketing from Institut Supérieur Européen de Gestion. He began his career at Air France Cargo in Paris, where he quickly developed a strong foundation in logistics.

In 2003, Benoit moved to Shanghai to manage Air France’s trade lane between China and France. This marked the beginning of his expat journey in one of China’s most dynamic cities. Drawing on his logistics expertise, he launched Riviera in 2005, ready to take on a new challenge.

Now in its 14th year, Riviera has become a leading event specialist in China. Benoit actively seeks out new growth opportunities and frequently travels across Asia to explore emerging markets for the agency.

In addition to his work at Riviera, Benoit is also the co-founder of Stelliers (formerly The Hotelier Awards), a prestigious platform that celebrates excellence in hospitality and encourages the development of future hoteliers.