Vortex International Names Florent Bouguin as Chief Innovation and Engineering Officer
Montréal, QC, (January 19, 2026) – Vortex Aquatic Structures International (www.vortex-intl.com), a manufacturer and world leader in water attractions, has appointed Florent Bouguin as Chief Innovation and Engineering Officer.
In this newly established role, Florent will serve as a key strategic leader, driving innovation, product excellence, and engineering execution across our portfolio of aquatic play solutions. He will oversee all aspects of product management and engineering, ensuring alignment and seamless execution from concept through to the customer experience. In addition, Florent will define the strategic vision for our product and engineering functions, foster and develop high-performing teams, and lead innovation-driven initiatives to enhance product durability, performance, safety, and overall customer satisfaction.
Florent brings over 25 years of experience leading multidisciplinary teams across mechanical, electrical, software, and manufacturing engineering. He combines deep technical expertise with a strong strategic product vision, consistently advancing innovation, digitalization, and operational excellence. In his most recent role as Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer at OPTEL, Florent managed full P&L responsibility and led product strategy, go-to-market execution, and the global deployment of the company’s flagship SaaS business.
He holds degrees in Innovation Governance, a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and a master’s degree in physics. Combined with his ability to build strong relationships, think creatively, and set industry standards, Florent is an outstanding addition to the Vortex leadership team. He looks forward to collaborating with teams across the organization and contributing to our continued growth and success.
About Vortex
Thirty years ago, Vortex revolutionized public recreation with the introduction of the Splashpad®, transforming underused parks into vibrant community hubs. What began as a new way to play quickly became a global movement: spaces once overlooked came alive with laughter, movement, and connection. Today, with nearly 12,000 installations across 50 countries, Vortex continues to bring the magic of water play to cities, towns, and resorts in premier locations around the world like Walt Disney Resorts, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, and the Miami Zoo.
Headquartered in Montreal, with regional offices in the U.S., Spain, and the Netherlands, and a robust global network, Vortex employs 250 people united by a shared mission: to innovate water play. From cost-effective solutions to cutting-edge designs like Water Journey™ and the award-winning Dream Tunnel™, Vortex is driven to make Splashpads more accessible, sustainable, and inspiring—for everyone, everywhere.
