Sodexho, Inc. Announces Two Senior Executive Appointments

GAITHERSBURG, MD, October 18, 2005 - Sodexho Inc., the leading provider of food and facilities management services in the United States, Canada and Mexico, announced today the following key senior executive appointments:

Thierry Amat has been named chief financial officer for Sodexho, Inc. In Amat's new role, he is responsible for a financial organization that supports $6.3 billion in annual sales, 120,000 employees and 6,000 clients across North America. A key member of the senior team, Amat reports directly to Sodexho Inc.'s President and CEO Dick Macedonia and is a member of the Executive Committee.

Amat came to Sodexho from his position as CFO for Global Research and Development at the sanofi-aventis Group, the pharmaceutical company based in Paris, France. In his 19-year career with Aventis, Amat played an integral role in the company's business growth in North America in the 1990s, and held roles of increasing importance within various divisions in the U.S. and France, seeing the company expand through several mergers and acquisitions.

“We are extremely pleased that Thierry has joined our senior executive team,” said Macedonia. “His experience with an industry leading, world-class company positions him perfectly to lead Sodexho to the highest levels of financial excellence.”

Amat holds an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., and is a graduate of Ecole Superieure de Commerce de REIMS in France.

John Bush, who has served as Sodexho, Inc.'s chief financial officer since 2000, has been promoted to Market President and will have four divisions reporting to him; Government Services, Spirit Cruises, as well as operations in Canada and Mexico. Bush continues reporting to Sodexho, Inc.'s President and CEO Dick Macedonia and remains a key member of the Executive Committee.

Bush joined Sodexho in 1972 as a student employee, working his way up through various operational and financial positions and overseeing financial activities representing $1.2 billion in sales in one division alone. He was appointed to serve as senior vice president and CFO in 2000.

“John has devoted his career to Sodexho and has been a driving force for us through years of company growth and change,” said Macedonia. “John brings to his new role a wealth of Sodexho operational expertise and results-focused performance. We look forward to his continued success as Market President.”

Bush holds an MBA in finance and marketing from the Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago, IL, and a B.A. from Hope College in Holland, MI.

Sodexho USA (www.sodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States, with $6 billion in annual revenue and 120,000+ employees. Sodexho USA offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, military and remote sites in North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho USA proudly serves as the official food service provider for the US Marine Corps.