Audencia's Alumni Magazine

For this editorial, we will be hearing from Amandine Luce, who, after 5 years at the head of Audencia Alumni communications (and overseeing the launch of The Mag), moved into a sector of activity that has long been her passion, namely sailing. In July 2021, she joined the team at Tip & Shaft, the expert media that is a benchmark in the world of competure sailing, in order to combine her professional activity with her passion.

It is in this capacity that she shares with us her views of this subject.

“The Route du Rhum is reporting record figures in its performance and superlatives abound when it comes to the 2022 edition of this mythical race. The same is true for the latest solo round-the-world race. Who doesn’t recall the Vendée Globe sailors who provided us with a real breath of fresh air, at the height of lockdown in November 2020? These free men and women gave us a sense of escape as we followed them around the globe on board their 60-foot sailing yachts. Solo offshore racing is the stuff of dreams. It is still as powerful as ever and stands the test of time. Sailing conveys a positive, attractive image, and bears the hallmarks of some truly noble values (a fighting spirit, abnegation, courage, challenge, adventure, performance, and technicality). This discipline has now turned professional, the ROI is calculated, and parallels with the corporate world are easy to see. Nevertheless, this sport, as is indeed the case for others, is in full flux. A woman sailor at the last Vendée Globe was “left behind” by her sponsor, a decision motivated by her sea miles’ deficit during the race linked to her pregnancy. Another sailor chants, “I’m going to stop sailing for ecological reasons,” arguing that his sport and the competition itself are, in his eyes, incompatible with the current climate crisis. However, initiatives are being introduced. The facilitating of women’s access to the various circuits, and reducing the environmental impact caused by the major races. Whether they are sailing, working in this sector, or even inventing the sailing world of tomorrow, it is this juncture that the school’s alumni are dedicated to deciphering and analysing… I hope your read is every bit as fascinating as the sport itself!”

Amandine Luce, Editor

On 27 April this year, after 235 days at sea, the South African skipper Kirsten Neuschäfer was the first to cross the Golden Globe Race finish line, making her the first woman ever to win this solo around-the-world race. And what a race it was! Kirsten answered our questions several days after getting back on dry land in Les Sables d’Olonne.

This feat is undoubtedly the culmination of a long journey linked to sailing and the sea. Could you take us through some of your career milestones?

I originally come from Port Elizabeth, in South Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean. However, I grew up inland, in Pretoria, where at an early age I began to learn how to sail on lakes and dams. It was just one of many outdoor activities I did as a child. I first started making a living from sailing towards the age of 23, by specialising in the delivery and transfer of sailboats by sea. Thanks to this, I had the opportunity to go all over the world. In 2019, whilst sailing towards the South Georgia Islands, a friend of mine told me about the first “retro” edition of the Golden Globe Race that I didn’t know about, telling me that this adventure was made for me! It wasn’t long before I took on this challenge of competing in the 2022 edition. I put in a lot of preparation, particularly to gather the necessary funds and to prepare my boat.

What is it about this race that appealed to you, a race modelled on the mythical Golden Globe Challenge that was held for the first time back in 1968?

I had never entered a sailing competition prior to taking part in the Golden Globe Race. Several things about this challenge won me over. The fact of it being a single-handed sail, for instance. I had already delivered boats over long distances, occasionally on my own, and this gave me a great deal of satisfaction. Then, there’s the “retro” aspect of this competition which proved a winner for me: it is a race without any assistance or modern means of navigation and communication. It is more of an adventurous race than it is a high-level performance, and, as I’m not a professional ocean racer, this is precisely why I felt ready to go all in.

What’s your take on the fact of becoming the first ever woman to win this solo around-the-world race?

I was racing to win. Not necessarily as the first woman, but as a sailor. In offshore racing, men and women compete on an equal footing. I prefer to receive recognition for my qualities as a sailor rather than the fact of being a woman, which for me remains secondary. However, if my victory serves to strengthen gender equality in the sailing industry and encourage more women to take part, then that’s great! This is a very male-dominated sector and I had to work quite hard to reach the same position that a man would probably have accessed more rapidly.

So, what are your current plans?

I have never been one for planning my life way in advance. For the past two or three years, I have concentrated on the race itself without thinking about what comes after. Today, I try to manage all of the media attention that I really wasn’t expecting! At some point in the near future, I’ll be returning to South Africa to hide myself away by the coast, to write down my memories of this adventure. After that, I don’t really know. I think that some wonderful new opportunities will be heading my way, in ecology, sea rescue, lifesaving or even teaching people how to sail. All in good time!

Katie Francois, on behalf of the Audencia Alumni team

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

Yacht racing had always been a dream for Julien Mabit (Bachelor 03), before he turned his dream into reality at the 2010 Route du Rhum (finishing 3rd in Rhum Class). A solo adventure where the hardest part is ultimately a return to solid ground.

Ten days prior to the start of the race, Julien Mabit managed to finalise the €40,000 budget required to set off on the Route du Rhum, aboard a boat rented just a month before, that he had not had time to prepare as well as he would have liked. This is of little importance when you are finally within touching distance of your dream!

“This single-handed, semi-professional race, is a crazy thing to do when you hit thirty. I’m not sure if I was one of the good amateurs or one of the bad pros. At any rate, it was all pretty extreme: only one phone on board that, given the cost, was used as little as possible. Today, the guys have WhatsApp on board: they have 24/7 connection and everything has moved on.”

To cope with life on board, he stuck to a strict daily regime: naps at fixed times to observe the natural sleep patterns and daily, but basic, washing that was at times facilitated by the tropical downpours. As he was unable to foresee what might be coming his way, he learned as he went along, came up with solutions, and tinkered as best he could. However, on this occasion his lucky star was shining down on him. “Success is sometimes the sum of all of the finer details that aren’t always under your control.”

It is later that the hard part kicks in. How can you keep dreaming when you have reached the summit of your own Everest?

“Maybe that is where the loneliness really hits you, because you are not prepared for the psychological shock and only you can work through it: you need to get support for this. It is often said that failure is difficult, and yet the same is also true of success. You need to process the emotional intensity of the race, as well as the project, and go on to find meaning. For me, I have not raced in five Vendée Globe: this race, my greatest feat of arms represents just twenty-three days of my life. After realising my dream of 25 years, I had to regain the motivation to get myself up in the morning. So, I locked myself away and renovated the house that we had just purchased.”

Fast-forward a decade and, for Julien, the memory of this solo adventure has transformed into a deeper understanding of who he is, his ability to bounce back, and so to dare.

“I have always approached failure with an initial period of collapse, followed by a gradual time of reconstruction, step by step, looking towards finding a solution. Henceforth, I know this initial collapse is not final and something useful stands to come out of it: a learning experience. I also know that he who never tries, never fails. Personally, I like the idea of having tried, given it your all, and followed your dreams.”

Florence Alix-Gravellier, Editor

Alexander Champy-McLean (Sciencescom 19) and Anne Gourcuff (SciencesCom 14) first began working in the sailing sector after completing their studies. Here we look at the fascinating and demanding world of sailing.

“I grew up in the Morbihan in one of the main ocean racing ports, and yet sailing didn’t really interest me,” Alexander says with a hint of humour. “I came across it quite by chance during a foreign language study placement. It was a total revelation.”

Now hooked, Alexander decided to enrich his study path by enrolling on the Audencia SciencesCom Master in Communication. The objective here was to acquire all the tools required to become a good communicator and dive head-first into offshore racing. After an initial galvanising experience at an agency in charge of communications for the 2020 Vendée Globe, followed by another at the end of 2021 for the organisers of the Mini Transat race, in March 2022 he set course for Alicante, Spain, where he was hired to be the social manager for The Ocean Race, a round-the-world yacht race with a series of stopovers.

“Sailing still has the reputation of being an elitist sport, and yet efforts are being made to make it more democratic. In all my content, I endeavour to adopt a generalist approach, so that the communication speaks to as many people as possible and not just to sailing enthusiasts,” Alexander explains.

The goal is to win over more and more fans. To this end, nothing beats being able to count on a person with a fine mastery of the codes of digital communication. And this, in order to make the best possible use of content communicated from on board and then share this with those on land.

“Sailors are not professionals in communication and have a lot to be getting on with aboard their boat. It is up to us to optimise the images and texts we receive to make them more relevant,” explains Anne, content coordinator for SAEM Vendée, the organising entity behind the Vendée Globe.

Prior to becoming part of the ocean racing world, Anne cut her teeth in the marine industry working for Bénéteau, the French sail and motor boat manufacturer, and then for an equipment manufacturer producing safety products. There, she came into regular contact with the sailing teams and developed a passion for this sector, that she then went on to join back in 2019.

“There is certainly never a dull moment in offshore racing. There are teams on deck all round the clock,” the young woman explains. “In communication, we set up on-call systems, for example to handle any damage caused. Some might see this as a constraint yet, for me, I simply love this sector.”

Eléonore de Vaumas (SciencesCom 11), Editor

He is the owner and manager of a hotel in Saint-Tropez, yet Frédéric Saveuse (GE 01) also works voluntarily as the president of his local station for the Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer (National Society of Sea Rescuers). A spotlight on a strong and indispensable commitment to sailing in the Mediterranean.

Since your student years at Audencia, could you take us through the career path that led to you now taking on the responsibility of the SNSM in Saint Tropez?

I initially worked for around fifteen years in various management positions at Procter & Gamble. As we approached our 40s, my wife and I decided to make a big life change. I’m originally from Bormes-les-Mimosas, near to Saint Tropez, where we settled around a decade ago. We purchased and took over the running of Villa Cosy, a hotel situated at the heart of Saint Tropez. Without being what is colloquially known as a “matey” I have always been passionate about the sea and all things nautical. It wasn’t long before I became involved with the local SNSM station. I caught the bug for sea rescue! I passed all the certificates in order to take on an operational role. First responder, ship’s diver, incident commander, you name it, right up to being appointed president of the station three years ago now. 

What are the main characteristics of the SNSM station in Saint Tropez?

With around a hundred interventions year on year, the SNSM station in Saint Tropez is among those that are out at sea most often. There are around thirty volunteers on the team. In the main, our interventions are related to leisure activities. Half of these concern sailing, for pleasure as well as amateur or professional competitions, for which the SNSM is part of the safety system. As an intervention leader, I take part in about 70% of rescues out at sea. I steer the lifeboats and am responsible for how the operation is run. In addition, as the station’s president, I also have a representative role, for example to be the link for the associations and companies organising regattas.

What are the challenges facing the SNSM?

For over 50 years, the SNSM has been an association with a mission of public utility. It faces a great many challenges, starting with the funding: 80% of its budget comes from donations made by the general public. Fleet renewal is also a big challenge as, in certain stations, the vessels are ageing. Another issue is recruitment. While it is true that the SNSM has almost 9,000 volunteers in France, attracting new recruits remains complicated. I would like to call on all those who love the sea and who want to help seafarers to come on board and join us! The stations train up the volunteers using a buddy training system. A range of training sessions is available, from diving to mechanics and, of course, rescue.

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

For the past 26 years, the Audencia Sailing Team has set a course to promote nautical activities and, more specifically, to promote sailing within the school. It hopes to share this discipline by encouraging young sailors to get involved.

First founded in 1997, the association went on to adopt the name Équipage Audencia Voile (Audencia Sailing Team) in February 2022. Its mission is to “promote sailing among Audencia’s student community,” explains Jean-Lou Picot, who, after 16 years as president of the association, has just handed the helm over to Léo Soumeillan. This club has around thirty members and there is no need for you to be a seasoned sailor if you are looking to join. “Everyone is welcome aboard. What is important is that you are motivated and show an interest in the club’s activities.”

The Audencia Sailing Team is built around three key areas of activity.

"Firstly racing, made up of 8 to 10 people, participating in inter-school student regattas, and notably in the Edhec Sailing Cup held every year in April. Another of its roles is looking for sponsors.

Secondly cruising, that offers a coastal-sailing week of discovery to around a hundred Audencia students. The next expedition is due to start on 21 October this year.

Thirdly, events, which organises a host of activities, including catamaran sailing for beginners at La Baule, and River Erdre boat cruises with drinks, etc."

Amongst the highlights: the Surf Trip, first launched in April last year. Its purpose is to provide introductory surf lessons. For its first edition, the team headed out to some prime surf spots in Mimizan, located in the Landes department. During this three-day event, around 40 students got to grips with the waves whilst enjoying some mild weather conditions. Another unmissable event: the Audencia Sailing Regatta, a whole weekend specially dedicated to catamaran sailing. Each year, the event assembles around a hundred people and it already has 18 editions under its belt.

Opening the world of sailing up to young people

On 17 June, in collaboration with the skipper Lilian Mercier, the Audencia Sailing Team is organising an outing for around twenty children in remission from cancer, who have been receiving treatment at Nantes University Hospital.

“I wanted to head up a project that was out of the ordinary. This is how the idea came about to offer young people, who would not otherwise get the chance to go sailing, a day on the River Erdre,” Jean-Lou Picot explains. What a great way to bring together the sailing world and solidarity-spirited activities!

Florence Falvy, Editor

Each year, this paper reviews the various activities carried out by the school, its governing boards, and the Foundation. Divided into two main parts, this document is an opportunity to highlight the commitment and involvement of internal and external stakeholders in the realisation of a great many projects.

Audencia’s 2022 annual report was published on 6 April. Amidst an uncertain global context, in many respects this latest edition has proved particularly substantial. Among the flagship projects helping to promote the school: the launch of our VAE offering (the validation of acquired skills and professional experience), together with the continuing education of Audencia’s faculty members through its Lighthouse programme (supported by Harvard Business Publishing Education and accredited by Advance HE), a fruitful partnership with the Shift Project on skills related to sustainable development, as well as more and more qualitative research work (with 64% of articles published in reviews of 3* and more, compared to 56 % in 2021).

The year 2022 will have also seen the opening of a new campus in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and indeed the validation of a new site in Saint-Ouen (scheduled to be inaugurated at the end of the year), seeking to allow Audencia to anchor itself in the greater Paris area. As regards the programmes, the school has obtained ministerial recognition for a new Bachelor’s degree with the School of Design, and the renewal of several of its existing labels and certifications (Qualiopi, RNCP, Visa).

Also marking this 2022 year was the launch of the new-generation of academic departments. New and improved methods of operation by means of updates to the Faculty Handbook, new members with international profiles, and more. These latest changes seek to make the departments more efficient and more visible to our stakeholders. Finally, the past year will have enabled us to establish a disability action plan and a low-carbon strategy involving many departments.

Check out all these projects and more in the 2022 Report, available in web version or PDF version, in both French and English.

Web version or pdf version

Eléonore de Vaumas (SciencesCom 11), Editor

Summer is just around the corner, heralding a new season in our calendar of festive and sporting events. On the programme: a night of celebration, two energising gatherings and an inspiring conference. A sneak peek at the delights that lie in store for the coming months.

Wine and harp on the menu for the Engineer-Manager community

The last one in October was a success and this spring's event lived up to expectations! On 25 May, the first of the two annual evenings reserved for the Engineer-Manager community took place.

During the event, 80 lucky guests enjoyed a unique sensory experience thanks to Involuté Vins by Sophie Roulé (GE 01) and Rêveries Sonores by viola player Sonia Moshnyager. A unique combination of a private and intimate concert by Emilie Gastaud, one of the world's most talented harpists and a wine tasting with commentary. All in the sumptuous setting of the Hotel Westminster, a stone's throw from Place Vendôme in Paris.

Cultural and creative industries in the spotlight 

Another eagerly awaited highlight: Audencia Alumni’s Inspiring Conference. This thematic event is one of the network’s key events. Every year, over 150 alumni gather at this event to network and share views on an inspiring central topic. This 5th edition, held on 8 June, at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, was under the banner of the future of the cultural and creative industries.

Nathalie Bondil, Director of the Museum and Exhibitions at the Institut du Monde Arabe, gave the keynote address with her vision of tomorrow's world of culture, which was followed by a round-table discussion between graduates from different cultural sectors moderated by Constance d'Iliers (Ecole du Louvre graduate (via Audencia in 2016)), Digital Project and Mediation Manager at Paris Musées :

• Donatienne Hantin Charbaut (GE 87 & SciencesCom 88), Co-founder and co-director of the Jazz Festival in Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris
• Emmanuel Jacomet (GE 12), Producer at Mediawan kids & family
• Pierre Reinisch (GE 13), Head of International development & Consulting Manager at Beaux Arts & Cie.

 
There was a rich exchange of views and experiences in the world of culture, which continued over cocktails on the Beaubourg terrace overlooking Paris.

A tri-relay supporting a good cause 

This is the emblematic sporting event of our region and the biggest in France. Now in its 36th year, it is coming back again on 23 September, 2023. Whether you are sporty or not, come and take part in the Triathlon Audencia-La Baule! It is a great opportunity for the 24 teams made in “Audencia Alumni” to compete in the tri-relay: running (5 km), swimming (500 m) and cycling (20 km). At the same time, it is a great way to “support the Nourette association that accompanies hospitalised children and their families,” adds Séverine Richou, Audencia Alumni administrative assistant. In 2022, a total of 7,200 participants took up the challenge. Whose turn next?

Eléonore de Vaumas (SciencesCom 11), Editor

As you know, Audencia is very active in China, be that in Chengdu, Shenzhen, or Shanghai. This activity is illustrated by the various events taking place. A look back at some of the past highlights and a look forward to what is in store...

What exactly is happening some 8,600 kilometres from Nantes, and more specifically in Chengdu, China? To find out, we met up with Cici Ting Liu, Alumni Relations Manager in charge of fostering links with the 5 alumni communities out there. She made the special trip to attend the CCDays (Career Connections Day) that is held twice a year. “This is the first time someone has made the trip for this event,” she is keen to point out, eager to foster increasing levels of interaction.

The last edition took place on 17 April. It provided the opportunity for 100 students to come together for a half-day gathering, both in-person as well as remotely, with the students from Shenzhen. Featured on the programme of events: a one-hour conference hosted by Samer Afzal (MBA 17), currently Senior Programme Manager at Amazon Web Services, who came along to share his career story.

Meanwhile, two career development workshops were being run by videoconference. The first, led by the professional coach Caroline Dussueil Chapman (GE 02) focussed on leadership. The second, covering job interviews, was run by Christophe Hisquin, in collaboration with 88JOBS, an innovative HR platform specialising in the recruitment of Chinese-bilingual professions and talents (based in La Rochelle). It is worth noting that Cici Liu took advantage of being in China to visit the academic research centre in Shanghai which was inaugurated at the end of 2022.

The latest event to date: the graduation ceremony for the Chinese students in Chengdu, from the class years 2020, 2021 and 2022 on the DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) and MSBA, two programmes launched in partnership with Western Business School (WBS), and the Southwest University of Finance and Economics in China. The ceremony was held on 5 June at the Atlantic Campus in Nantes, and was followed by a cocktail dinner reception held in the forum. Around fifty participants were in attendance.

Two upcoming events

Another key moment: the graduation ceremony for students on the SAFTI programmes (Shenzhen Audencia Financial Technology Institute), to be held on 24 June in Shenzhen. In attendance at this event will be Desi Schmitt the Director of International Affairs at Audencia.

Finally in mid-June, students following the DBA programme will be heading to France to participate in a one-week Learning Trip. All in all, this will be a great way for them to become immersed in the local culture and it will also serve to shine a spotlight on France’s tricolour entrepreneurship!

Florence Falvy, Editor

A SeaTech engineering school graduate, Elsa Rondeleux also holds the Actor for Energy Transition Specialised Master which she earned in 2021. With her deep affinity for all things sea and sailing, she is now about to cast off on a long family voyage.

Where does this fascination for the sea and sailing all stem from?

I was raised between Reunion Island and New Caledonia, therefore close to the sea. During my childhood, I did a lot of sailing, windsurfing, and diving. At SeaTech, located by the coast in Toulon, out of personal conviction I decided to gear my studies towards marine renewable energy. Ever since, my career has been centered around this sector, and has enabled me to combine my love of the sea with my commitment to the environment. My work involves offshore wind power projects. Sailing, the wind, the sea, etc. There is clearly a firm line of continuity between my childhood, my career, and this long-distance boat trip project.

So, you are about to set sail this summer along with your husband and three children who are 3, 6 and 9 years of age, on a year-long trip that may well be extended. Why the decision to go by boat?

My husband and I have always travelled a great deal. Over recent years we have chosen to reduce the carbon footprint of our travels by taking fewer flights.  In addition, the boat is one of the slowest means of transport, after walking and cycling. This makes the world a much bigger place. We would like to pass on to our children this notion of real distance and the alternatives to travelling by plane. We don’t want to rush; we don’t want to do it all… There is a kind of eulogy to slowness in our approach, without losing sight of just how privileged we are to be able to do this. It also provides a great learning experience for our children, teaching them to know how to deal with the elements, such as the climate, which is all important when travelling by boat. I also want them to discover the underwater world, that is currently under constant threat. 

How do you go about preparing for such a trip?

We purchased the boat two years ago now. It is a 13.5m monohull that’s around 30 years old and designed to be used over long distances. In the first year, we went sailing with friends. During the second year, we tested our ability to be autonomous by sailing on our own, as a family. For instance, we sailed over to Spain across the Bay of Biscay, sailing by night, to get ourselves in position. We took courses in how to survive at sea, first aid, and weather training. 

What route are you planning to take?

During the first four months, we are heading down towards Cape Verde. We plan to take our time. The idea is to enjoy the stopovers when we call in at Madeira, the Canary Islands and Senegal. From December to February, we will be crossing the Atlantic, which should take two to three weeks. Next, we are heading north up the Caribbean archipelago. That’s when we’ll decide whether to continue our trip or head home, past the Azores in this case.

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

From Singapore to Mexico, and from Sao Paulo to Sydney and Abidjan, between 23 March and 18 April this year, the 5th edition of this event enjoyed record attendance.

In all four corners of the globe, our Audencia Alumni ambassadors were busy beavering away to deliver dozens of enriching and varied activities.

This 2023 edition will remain a banner year, with the same goals that were amply achieved:

“To promote and raise the visibility of our international community outside France,” explains Katie Francois, Alumni Relations Manager.

For the first time in the history of the event, everyone came together like never before. This year, some 40 gatherings were organised, assembling over 500 of those who had signed up from across the globe.

“The alumni ambassadors have free rein and are at liberty to set up whatever activity they choose. Most of the time, these are intergenerational events enabling connections to be made between the local players based in the same town.”

In early spring, Around The World saw a host of projects coming to fruition. In China for instance, where the ambassadors took great delight in getting busy organising the various activities. The gatherings organised in April and held in three of the country’s cities proved a tremendous hit. According to Cici Ting Liu, Alumni Relations Manager, they managed to pull off the challenge, hands down:

“A coffee-making workshop was completely booked out in Shenzhen. As for the former students in Chengdu, they celebrated the event in style with a morning of cycling and running. Finally, in Shanghai, a frisbee challenge was a huge hit with those gathered around the stadium.”

The event continues to strengthen its reputation and will be back again next year, taking place over the same March-April period.

This whistle-stop tour will once again enable your Audencia Alumni network to put itself well and truly on the map, as the community continues to spread its net far and wide across the globe.

A look back at the 2023 edition in pictures

Anthony Boutin (Responsable de la Communication 16), Editor

A year ago, Paul Cales (GE 18) donated to the Audencia Foundation. This year, Tom Amouret received financial assistance to follow the Sirius Programme. They share their stories.

In 2018, as he was about to carry out his end-of-studies internship by working on his Naostage entrepreneurial project, Paul Cales (a holder of a double degree from INSA Rennes / Audencia) would call on the Audencia Foundation for assistance.

“I was seeking financial support to help set up my company. The Foundation’s Student Entrepreneur grant came at just the right time. It enabled me to have a small income during the months of my internship. This was of great help to me,” says the man who now heads up a company with 10 employees on the payroll, that is currently experiencing strong growth.

Fast-forward four years, to when the Audencia Foundation asked him to come along and share his career path during a “Soirée des Audacieux” organised for the donors, and he was delighted to accept the invitation.

“It was during the course of the evening that I decided to make a donation to the Foundation,” he continues. “It was important to me to make this contribution, to return the favour and support new projects, especially those of an entrepreneurial nature. In turn, I am now in a position to help those in need of support, who want to get started but don’t necessarily have the means to do so.”

As for Tom Amouret, this year he has received support to follow the Sirius Programme which was set up by Audencia to provide high school students who have completed vocational secondary education the opportunity to maximise their chances of entering bachelor-level studies.

“I had my sights set on studying at Audencia very early on,” recalls Tom, who passed his vocational baccalaureate in Commerce with distinction last year. “In my final year at college, someone from Audencia came to talk to us about the Sirius Programme. Straight away, I really wanted to get on the course.”

Reinforcing what is learnt at school, personal development, a broadening of international and cultural horizons, and a discovery of the world of work: more than just a one-year preparatory course, the Sirius Programme is a real springboard, allowing students to cast aside any lingering doubts they may have as to their ability to pursue their studies.

“To be honest, straight after the baccalaureate I already felt ready to try for the entrance exam to enrol on the Bachelor’s programme. However, I saw it was a great opportunity to consolidate what I’d learned and improve my chances of success. Tuition is free of charge and the Foundation provides us with a grant towards our living expenses. It is a sure-fire way to attend classes in a great frame of mind!”

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

The Audencia Foundation embarks on a fundraising campaign focussed on diversity and inclusion two major issues supported by the School. Two evening events, soon to take place in Nantes and Paris, provide unique opportunities to support the Foundation’s solidarity projects.

Strengthening equal opportunities and the diversity of profiles are the objectives developed by Audencia and set out in its Diversity & Inclusion plan. In this context, the Foundation is now launching its 2023 campaign, to support the School’s many initiatives aimed at promoting equal opportunities. The target is to raise 3.9 million euros by 2025 to contribute towards the funding of social and solidarity grants, including:

• Social grants issued on the basis of social criteria with the purpose of helping young people to pursue their education in a more serene way.
• Entrepreneurship scholarships to encourage students to realise their entrepreneurial project by substituting their end-of-studies internship to work on their own startup.
• The Sirius Programme, the only one of its kind in France, a scheme offering a one-year course to professional bachelors doubting their ability to pursue their studies. The aim: to enrol on a Bachelor-level programme thanks to the provision of human and financial support services.

In order to help students via these initiatives, the Foundation is calling on your show of solidarity!

Under the name “Soirées des Audacieux”, these two evening events will be held in Nantes on 19 June, and in Paris on 11 September. Under the banner of solidarity and philanthropy, both evening gatherings are open to all our donors, as well as Alumni members wishing to make donations to the projects being presented. Several beneficiaries of the Foundation will be coming along to share just how instrumental the donations have proven to their own personal successes and career paths.

This will be a golden opportunity to hear about the impact your kind generosity is having!

Information & registration - Soirée des Audacieux

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

With its feet in the water, the region’s maritime sector is enjoying a significant boom. Audencia is sharing the benefits of this ecosystem with its International MBA students through enlightening and practical assignments.

They include Elvstrom Sails, Greenov, Grain de Sail, and Airseas. Yet, what do these companies have in common? They are all part of the maritime sector, whether it is a question of making sails for boats, protecting the seabed or indeed trading under sail. Another common feature, and an important one, is sharing part of their professional adventure with students on Audencia’s International MBA programme.

“For a few years now we’ve been collaborating with Chantiers de l’Atlantique (French shipyard), as well as AirSeas, chiefly in the context of consulting missions,” informs Catherine Chassanite, Director of MBA programmes. “Along the way, our portfolio of companies operating in this sector has grown. It wasn’t necessarily intentional on our part, yet it reflects a thriving and active sector in our economic area.”

Coming up with a product launch, brainstorming an alternative and more of a one-size-fits-all approach to cruising, matching corporate charter to values, these are the kinds of missions that the students have been working on over recent years.

“The aim is to enable them to look at the bigger picture in terms of what they have learned during their core lessons. As the mission takes place for two thirds of the training, they can bring a 360-degree view to our corporate partners, who do not always have the in-house resources, or time, to devote to this type of highly specific mission,” Catherine Chassanite explains.

This gamble has proved a win-win for the students as indeed it has for the companies, but also for the school which, thanks to these collaborations, demonstrates its ability to be part of a sector that has the wind in its sails.

“You come to realise that there is plenty to do by the coast,” says the director of MBA programmes. “The question we are asking ourselves today is how, at our level, can we help the region to take the profile of this area further still.”

And there is no shortage of ideas: new partnerships, themed seminars, etc. A host of opportunities to affirm Audencia’s anchorage of operations in the meaningful maritime environment.

Eléonore de Vaumas (SciencesCom 11), Editor

Alexandre Bureau (SciencesCom 07) has come up with the smart idea of purchasing and converting a shipping container into a workspace. Located in Vertou, these offices make for an ideal base between two business meetings and are a great way to avoid getting caught up in traffic. And now, SuperCargo is setting its sights on casting anchor in the Nantes area.

After a 12-year adventure spent working on the web, Alexandre Bureau found himself eager to change course.

“My SuperCargo project was launched back in January 2020, just before the start of the pandemic. It all began with a simple observation: for the self-employed, nomadic workers and teleworkers, there is a lack of workspaces that are available on an ad hoc basis in peri-urban and rural areas.”

The Nantes-based venture was stopped in its stride with the onset of Covid. However, this time of health crisis would provide the ideal opportunity for Alexandre to refine his project and join the Centrale-Audencia-Ensa Incubator in September, 2020.

“Although this was never part of the plan, this experience turned out to be of real benefit,” he says. “The mentoring phase proved crucial as did the training sessions conducted by experts. Given the context, I would most likely have folded my company had I not followed this scheme.”

Today, his fledgling company, registered under the name MonCargo, positions itself in the sale and development of shipping containers. SuperCargo, his company brand, specialises in work which is based in and around the local area. Alexandre has been successful in funding his first workspace that was set up in Vertou and is composed of three mini-rooms of between 2 and 4 m2.

Naturally, the goal is to provide other containers soon in and around Nantes as well as developing an online platform allowing users to locate and book a room for their required day and time slot. Once the request is validated, an access code is forwarded to enable users to have independent access to their workspace.

These rooms are designed for workers looking for local office space located close to their home or on their work commute.

“These individuals want to work at a given time, to avoid rush-hour traffic jams for instance, before heading to the office in the morning or returning home at the end of the day,” Alexandre explains.

SuperCargo does not present itself as an alternative to coworking but offers many advantages. Specifically, that of not having to go via a reception desk and follow a procedure before being able to access their working area!

Anthony Boutin (Responsable de la Communication 16), Editor

Now boarding with Solène Dargaud, Océane Lenoir and Hermine Le Mintier! Three alumni who all share a common passion: sailing. Why sail the seas? What exactly do they get out of it? And what lessons have they learned from it? They tell us all...

Thirty years of age, she works as a freelance collective intelligence facilitator. Much involved in areas related to transition, she is also the project manager of the Nantes-based Open Lande agency, responsible for the editorial programming of The Arch event, a seminar addressing climate issues. Her next goal: to communicate her passion for sailing and become a Glénans instructor.

Diversity is strength on board

Solène’s first experience of sailing dates to when she was younger. She developed a real passion for the sport four years ago. It gave her the opportunity to get back to nature whilst experiencing an entirely new world, with a jargon of its own. Following a series of internships at the Glénans sailing school, she then went on to join the Jolokia team in Lorient, aboard the Volvo Ocean, whose mission is to demonstrate that diversity is a driver of performance. On this 60-foot yacht there is a diverse mix of able-bodied and disabled crew members, who are not always familiar with the racing world.

Her last trip to date: three months at sea, as a multi-skilled crew member, whilst on a crossing from Corsica to Cape Verde, and past the Canary Islands. Today, she is regularly seen at the helm as the skipper. Indeed, this wealth of experience has allowed her to “experience life’s precious moments and have a different mindset when it comes to questions on inclusion.”

Sailing, as a mirror to the corporate world

With a crew, steering the boat to safe harbour, and more importantly a sailing yacht, is an objective that really speaks to Solène. The team, life on board, living and working together, and so forth. It is in fact a blessing for this collective intelligence facilitator.

“Ocean life is a risky environment amidst the various dangers and uncertainties. There are all sorts of situations I can draw upon in my professional life. Putting people in close quarters and ensuring that, when the pressure is on, they all have the necessary resources to be able to respond, really fascinates me. Putting an organisation under pressure, seeing how it reacts, observing the place taken by the decision makers, considering my own position within the group, building a leadership stance, taking both responsibility and decisions, allocating roles on a boat, human relations, etc.”

In her eyes, there are clear parallels to be drawn between sailing and the corporate world.

At 31 years of age, she works in management control and, as a rule, leaves nothing to chance. Yet, she has decided to step outside her comfort zone to take on a tremendous challenge: take part in the Mini Transat, a single-handed transatlantic race, without any assistance or means of communication. The departure date is set for 24 September this year.

An immense sense of freedom

Hermine grew up in Vannes. The ideal stomping ground for sailing, a sport she has enjoyed since her teenage years. So, it was only natural that she would go on to join the Audencia Sailing club. Life on the ocean wave allows you to experience “an immense sense of freedom and solitude” which she finds appealing. “There’s also a feeling of wellbeing!” She adds: “You are at one with this incredible nature! Alone in the middle of the ocean, where your only neighbours are the waves, the sound of the sea on the hull, the clouds, and the sun, etc.,” she describes. After 10 years mulling it over, driven by a spirit of adventure, she decided to take part in the Mini Transat. Since March, she has been 100% dedicated to this project and in training 3 to 4 times a week.

A genuine challenge

This is a crazy wager that will have required two years’ preparation at the Lorient Grand Large training centre yet it is especially an opportunity for her to realise her dream. The Mini Transat will get underway on 24 September, departing from the Sables d’Olonne, for a first leg of 1,350 sea miles towards the Canary Islands. Next, after a three-week break, Hermine will be back at sea on 29 October, setting sail for Guadeloupe. Arrival is scheduled for 10 November. She is setting off aboard a 6.5 metre sail boat, “the smallest racing boat authorised to cross the Atlantic.” She remains in a good state of mind. “I feel well equipped and prepared, confident in my ability to succeed. This adventure will make me grow.”

For Hermine, every one of her sailing experiences is an opportunity to continue to learn a little more about herself, “to trust yourself as you only have yourself to count on. These experiences teach me to manage priorities. Alone at sea, you don’t sleep much, you are constantly courting the boundaries of lucidity, learning to be in survival mode which enables you to make extremely rapid decisions. This will be very useful in my future professional life.”

About Hermine only available in French

For her, sailing was first and foremost a personal story long before it became a professional one. Born into a family of seafarers, (her grandparents lived on a boat and her mother was a sailing instructor at the Glénans sailing school), Océane Lenoir took to the seas for over a year. For her, this experience proved to be a real wake-up call.

A slower pace of life, in contact with nature

Modern living often equates to a hectic pace of daily life. In an age of speed, Océane, who is a globetrotter by heart, has therefore felt the need to travel differently, to take time and slow down her pace of life. Alongside her companion, she set sail for the entire summer of 2016 on board a yacht of over 12 metres in length, casting off to sail the Atlantic. Featuring on the travel log programme: a voyage from Brittany to the Azores, past Senegal, Cape Verde, Martinique, Columbia, Panama, Guatemala, Cuba, and Bermuda. In all, a total of 13 months, “living between sea and sky, in sync with the cycle of the moon, relearning how to take time, contemplate, etc.” Once you get on the water and out at sea, “there is a real sense of liberty and getting away from it all. You have the impression that anything is possible!”

A woman of action

For the past two years, Océane has been responsible for the nautical division of the Association Culturelle de l’Été or ACE (Cultural Association for the Summer), tasked with the nautical programming of Débord de Loire (the estuary’s major nautical and artistic event, taking place from 30 May to 5 June), as well as the activities taking place on the water (flotilla parades, and more). “Working in the field is what puts fire in my belly every day. Throughout the course of the event, I accompany the fleets with their itineraries. I must ensure the event takes place safely and keeps on schedule. This involves a great deal of coordination.”

Florence Falvy, Editor

• Tuesday 13: afterwork - Berlin
• Tuesday 13: CCI France Chine event - Shanghai, Pekin & Canton
• Wednesday 14: visit and afterwork - Geneva
• Wednesday 14: Masterclass - Marketing d'influence : les tendances 2023 - Paris
• Monday 19: "soirée des Audacieux" - Nantes
• Tuesday 20: Tous Éloquents! Quand la parole libère le pouvoir d'être unique - Paris
• Wednesday 21: AAGEF conference - New York
• Wednesday 21: webinar "How to navigate challenges, crises and rapid marketplace change"
• Thursday 22: summer borrel - Amstrerdam
• Thursday 22: afterwork SciencesCom - Nantes
• Thursday 22: afterwork - Boston
• Saturday 24: Audencia Bachelor Gala - Nantes
• Tuesday 27: afterwork - Nantes

• Saturday 01: forum emploi 2023 - Beijing, Shanghai & Shenzhen
• Tuesday 04: AMBA event - Edinburgh
• Thursday 06: MBA round table & networking - Nantes

• Saturday 09: guided tour "Saint Sulpice Da Vinci Code" - Paris
• Saturday 16: guided tour of "Montmartre" - Paris
• Saturday 23: Triathlon Audencia - La Baule
• Saturday 23: After Triath' - La Baule

• Saturday 14: guided tour "Musée atelier Gustave Moreau" - Paris

• Thursday 09: ApéroPitchs event - Paris
• Saturday 18: guided tour "Collection Pinault" - Paris
• Saturday 25: save the date Audencia Homecoming Day - Nantes

• Friday 15: guided tour "Les salons de l'Hôtel de la Marine​" - Paris

“En Solex, Simon” (“Simon by Solex”)

Following his road trip through Western France travelling by Solex, Simon Daspe is publishing a logbook of his adventure. Throughout 2022, Simon Daspe toured Western France by Solex to meet with business leaders. This is the logbook of an extraordinary adventure.

Simon Daspe (GE 13) - Available by order, for further details contact Simon Daspe

“Le guide de survie à la cour de Versailles” (“A survival guide for the Court of Versailles”) (ebook)

How did the courtiers go to the toilet? How was a date before Tinder? In an original and amusing tone, this ebook lifts the lid on the secrets of Versailles, explained by history lover Laurane Bourgoint.

Laurane Bourgoint (GE 11) - Available to order via the website “Les dessous de Versailles”

“Une Maison sinon rien” (“A House at all costs”)

In the eyes of the Parisian elite, the matter is settled: the pavilion-style housing model, that is environmentally “untenable” and politically explosive, should be abandoned. In exchange for one bedroom per child and a patch of garden, it appears the middle classes have deserted the town centres, without assessing the individual and group counterparties: a greater dependence on the car, hampered job mobility, the urban desertification of town centres, retail trade in crisis, socially withdrawing, and more.  In a shifting world, the house has huge benefits: peace and quiet, privacy, security, freedom of movement, and proximity to nature. Since the beginning of the 20th century, behind this permanent state of chaos in housing there has remained one constant: the French obsession of having a house has never left us.

Clément Pétreault (SciencesCom 04) - Stock Publishers

“Governance and financial performance: current trends and perspectives”

This book focuses on corporate governance and proposes a novel framework for combining the Corporate Governance Framework (CGF) with current corporate finance issues arising in the Contemporary Business Environment (CBE) and cointegrating them with today's business needs. It consists of a good collection of state-of-the-art approaches that will be useful for new researchers and practitioners working in this field, helping them to quickly grasp the current state of corporate governance and corporate financial performance.

Emilios Galariotis, Garefalakis, A., Lemonakis, C., Menexiadis, M., Zopounidis, C. - World Scientific Editions (2023)

“Encyclopedia of human resource management” (2nd ed.)

Thoroughly revised and updated to include contemporary terms that have gained importance such as furlough, unconscious bias, platform work, and Great Resignation, this second edition of the Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management is an authoritative and comprehensive reference resource comprising almost 400 entries on core HR areas and concepts.

Johnstone, S., Rodriguez, J-K., Wilkinson, A., Christine Naschberger - Edward Elgar Publishing (2023)

Always handy to have, we would like to reshare this publication from 2019.

“La bible de la cuisine à bord: avitaillement, conservation et 100 recettes” (“The on board cooking bible: provisioning, preserving and 100 recipe ideas”)

This book is a clear and comprehensive guide for professional and budding sailors. When you step on board a boat, your organisation and tastes change to adapt to the constraints of the quarters, the cold, the heat, and seasickness. Around 60 pages are dedicated to ways of provisioning and preserving food. It contains 100 sailing-friendly recipes.

David Sabatier (GE 06) - Published by Zeraq (2019), and out in paperback

Séverine Richou, on behalf of the Audencia Alumni team

Some of our Audencia alumni have changed post in recent months. Congratulations to each and every one of them on these wonderful new appointments:

David Bellaiche (GE 03) has been appointed National Sales Director at Nuxe Group

Adrien Beuriot (GE 04) has been appointed Managing Director at P3 Logistic Parks France

Marine Cuda (GE 16) has been appointed Global Career Development Lead at Scania Group in Stockholm

Grégoire Destenay (GE 05) has been appointed Director for Renewable Energy at Telamon Group

Jean-Lucien Durand (GE 07) has been appointed Investment Director at Crédit Mutuel Equity (Confédération nationale du Crédit mutuel)

Christophe Flanet (Exec MBA 14) has been appointed Chief Information Officer at Fraikin

Dimitri de Lanversin (GE 07) has been appointed Investment Director for Terra Nea at Andera Partners

Yann Ledru (SciencesCom 93) has been appointed Venue General Manager - Trocadéro for the Paris Organising Committee of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Fabien Le Pen (SciencesCom 01) has been appointed Sales and Marketing Director - France at Bouygues Immobilier (real estate)

Antoine Le Sage (GE 17) has been appointed Sales Director at Splio

Maximilien Lohou (GE 05) has been appointed Deputy Managing Director at iProspect France (Dentsu)

Malvine Makouche (GE 04) has been appointed France Marketing Director at Suntory Food & Beverage

Clément Morvant (MCI 22) has been appointed Americas Development Manager at AKROCEAN

Pierre de Moucheron (GE 18) has been appointed Chief of Staff at Anywr

Fabrice Neyroumande (GE 93) has been appointed Head of Development at Amadeis

Benoît Noël (Bachelor 95) has been appointed Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at ATI

Clément Pétreault (SciencesCom 04) has been appointed Editor-in-Chief at Le Point

Anna Raison (GE 06) has been appointed President at DS Restauration

Pauline Raude Herisson (GE 05) has been appointed Head of operations private assets at Mirova

Anne Renevot (GE 92) has been appointed Financial Director at Moon Surgical

Fabrice Rose (Exec MBA 19) has been appointed Operations Director PSI at NEWCLIP TECHNICS

Patrick Sayegh (GE 03) has been appointed Group Talent Management Director at Citwell

Damien Schaff (GE 15) has been appointed Vice President - Debt Advisory at Amala Partners

Véronique Thomas (GE 00) has been appointed Marketing Director at Canal+ Brands Solutions

Alexia Veyry (SciencesCom 05) has been appointed Director of Cinema Communications and Partnerships at CANAL+ Group

Marie Vialettes (GE 07) has been appointed Internal Audit and Control Director – Europe & Middle East at Sephora (LVMH Group)

Raphaël Virleux (GE 06) has been appointed Director for the West of France at Pandat Finance

Fellow Audencians have launched their own business venture over recent months:

Charlotte Fabre (GE 09) is a Freelance Marketing Consultant

Perrine Legoff (SciencesCom 18) is a Freelance Communications Consultant

Hui Wang (MSCPM 03) is the Founder of Florenergy

We wish them all the very best for continued success in their professional life!

If you too are changing post or setting up your own business venture, we would love to hear about it. Please drop us a line here at: audenciaalumni@audencia.com

Séverine Richou, on behalf of the Audencia Alumni team