Serge Crasnianski

Chief Executive Officer & Deputy Chairman, Me

Search every verified Serge Crasnianski interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a July 2022 interview, Serge Crasnianski, CEO and Deputy Chairman of ME Group, discussed the company's history and his vision for its future. He recounted founding the company in 1963 at age 20 after losing his keys, which led to the creation of the first automatic key-cutting machine, of which he said approximately 300,000 units have been sold worldwide. He described the 1981 introduction of a rapid photo development system, noting that it was initially met with laughter at a Paris photo show but later became a success, with 1,000 minilabs produced per month. Crasnianski also stated that the company invented the first digital automatic identity photo machine, entered the laundry business in 2012, merged with Sentpas in 2019 to enter the food sector, and acquired Resto'Clock in July 2021 for pizza vending machines. Crasnianski said the company's DNA is speed and environmental protection, citing the installation of solar panels on machines and a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. He outlined plans to develop new applications for its 30,000 photo booths worldwide, including medical and artistic uses, and expressed optimism about the growth of its pizza and apple juice vending machine businesses, predicting that food could soon become the group's first or second largest activity. He described the company as a "great human adventure" where the priority is customer satisfaction.