Audencia's Alumni Magazine

Much like the Treeg, the egg-bearing tree of knowledge designed by Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou which stands within the forecourt of Audencia, culture has always been at the very heart of the School’s vision. By the same token, the concept of cultural heritage equally resonates with Audencia’s Communication, Culture and Languages Department. Pierre-Laurent Frier – professor of public law at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and pioneer in the field of art law studies – says cultural heritage constitutes “a set of traces of human activities deemed essential by society to its identity and collective memory which it wishes to keep for future generations.”

Created thanks to the recent merger of two specialisations, this year the MSc in Cultural and Arts Management will be welcoming through its doors an intake of around sixty students. They will work with professionals and cultural institutions on projects relating to real estate assets (such as historic monuments) and movable heritage (such as exhibitions). Assignments include grantseeking, the drawing up of a business plan, communications strategy, and more. A range of missions whereby the skills they have acquired at Audencia will be applied to help serve culture.

In addition, for over a decade now Audencia and the École du Louvre have joined forces through a collaborative initiative offering their students the opportunity to take part in a semester exchange. Thus, students on the MSc in Cultural and Arts Management can take courses in the history of art or an introduction to museology at the École du Louvre, as part of a semester dedicated to heritage. A range of partnerships have been established, including with Sotheby's Institute in London and the University of Deusto, Bilbao, where our students can acquire cultural knowledge that serves to complement and strengthen our training.

With interviews and portraits, as well as alumni career paths and much more, this 25th edition of The Mag is highlights on one of the building blocks of Audencia’s DNA: cultural heritage, with an emphasis on tangible heritage.

Martha Abad Grébert, Head of Department Communication, Culture & Languages

At the head of communications for the Notre Dame Foundation, François Le Page (GE 17) animates a vast community of donors, without whom the restoration of the Paris cathedral would not have taken place.

On 15 April 2019, a fire ravaged through the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, reducing large sections of it to ashes and rubble. The very next day, the Notre Dame Foundation, which supports and assists projects run by associations in the field of solidarity, culture, and Christian education, set up an initial fund which was followed by a second one in 2021. This resulted in a total of over 350 million raised in donations.

“The entire sum is dedicated to help restore the cathedral to its former glory. The funds collected are passed on to the public institution that manages the site in the form of regular calls for funding,” specifies François, Head of communications at the Notre Dame Foundation.

A winning partnership

It was during his studies at Audencia that this 2017 Grande Ecole graduate first developed a true passion for cultural heritage.

“I had the opportunity to benefit from a partnership that had been established by Audencia with the Ecole du Louvre. As part of the M1 programme, I followed a course on museology for a semester. After this, I resumed my specialisation at Audencia in the Management of cultural institutions, completed my end-of-studies internship at Christie’s, and then, after graduation, I joined a Paris-based association that works to promote the restoration of cultural heritage,” he states.

Stationed at the Notre Dame Foundation since June 2020, he is tasked with keeping donors up to speed with the types of projects being supported, as well as informing them on the progress of the work being carried out on the cathedral.

Shock waves

While the fire sent shock waves across the entire world, it did in fact serve to allow the public at large to rediscover the importance of safeguarding French cultural heritage,” François believes.

“Although state allocations fall below par when it comes to meeting all of the needs, we observe that with this type of event which ends up becoming a national cause, we are indeed capable of releasing considerable funds for the restoration of a building.”

In December 2024, the cathedral will once again open its doors. All this is down to public generosity and to the work carried out by an entire sector of specialised trades that work in the restoration of historic monuments. As for the role of the Notre Dame Foundation, our work does in no way end here. Various other masterpieces (churches, abbeys, and sacred art) receive support from the foundations it protects, that are mobilised more than ever to safeguard these treasures.

Eléonore de Vaumas (SciencesCom 11), Editor

Dominique de Font-Réaulx (GE 82), member of Audencia 's Board of Directors, holds an exceptional track record in the cultural heritage sector. Here she shares her insights on the profession of heritage custodian.

Heritage conservation is your great passion in life. For which institutions have you exercised this passion?

After resuming my studies in 1988 to enrol at the École du Louvre and follow a DEA (a post-master’s degree) at Paris Sorbonne University, I took the competitive entrance exam for the École du Patrimoine (French School of Heritage), which trains conservators. I went on to devote my entire career to public service, which meant a great deal to me. My first post was at the French Monuments Museum. I was there in 1997 when a fire broke out in the building. This proved a very tough period, but at the same time was a lightbulb moment for me, as it drummed home the importance of preservation. After this I worked as a curator at the Musée d’Orsay, was appointed Louvre project coordinator in Abu Dhabi, director of the Delacroix Museum, then director of cultural programming at the Louvre. I also teach at SciencesPo and at the École du Louvre, particularly Audencia’s students who are a part of the exchange programme between the two schools.

What exactly does the profession of heritage curator entail?

The profession of curator, which I have been involved in for the past 30 years, is as much about the here and now as it is the future. The here and now, because we serve a public that is very much alive that we seek to encourage to come to the museum, and the future as our mission is equally to pass on a heritage that existed long before us, and will remain long after we are gone. Being in the past, the present, and the future enables you to be anchored in a mission that transcends who we are. This is one of the notions of heritage I find particularly interesting. Moreover, the profession of curator combines creativity and vigilance. Vigilance, as our role is to preserve the collections, and creativity because you need to build these into a narrative. For it is in forming a discourse, putting things into perspective, and remaining sensitive to the world around you, that you can capture public attention.

Creativity, a narrative… is this not inconsistent with a heritage asset that may on the surface come across as rather static?

Quite the contrary! Creativity is expressed by showcasing collections. We need to develop a point of view that fits into a narrative that is not written in advance. A museum collection is a living object! The Louvre collection for instance, currently made up of around 500,000 exhibits, is constantly being enhanced and transformed. We support this transformation through inclusive mediation that is aimed at all audiences. How does one talk about works of art? What is the narrative? How is it conveyed? A great many questions for which museography is continuously reinventing itself. The museum’s narrative is a combined blend of what is real, the reality of the work of art, and the imaginary.

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

Whilst all cities may boast a history, a heritage, and a terroir, very few manage to combine all three, transforming them into a real asset of economic attractiveness, as has Nantes Metropolis with Le Voyage à Nantes. Rozenn Le Quellec (SciencesCom 10), Public Relations Manager, walks us through some of its key strengths.

Anyone arriving in Nantes for the first time is struck by the city’s unique image, from its historical classicism to its contemporary originality, a city which has emerged from its semi-industrial, semi-bourgeois roots, and is built along the estuary that shapes it and the marshy and wine-growing lands surrounding it. In creating Le Voyage à Nantes in 2011, former mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault, showcased its unique qualities, thus enhancing the attractiveness of the city and turning it into an urban magnet.

Le Voyage à Nantes is an urban trail, that transforms the city into a multi-faceted work of art, that is completely free of charge and accessible to all. An ephemeral exhibition in downtown Nantes, where visitors get to fully immerse themselves its many artistic experiences. This year’s summer programme centres on statues which have recently been shaking up the city, with 80 installations, 21 new features, 14 cultural partners, and 7 new sites.

Yet, the summer exhibition also doubles up as a permanent Voyage, as indicated by the ‘Green Line’ marked on the ground. With 58 works listed to date, the trail leads its follower to a contemporary work of art, a stunning piece of heritage, must-see sights in the city, as well as some unsung treasures.

“The idea behind Le Voyage à Nantes,” Rozenn explains, “is for us to generate a unique image of Nantes, by endorsing the artistic programming that captures the essence of the city. After all, this is the real star of the show. Clearly, the goal is to attract people and this certainly seems to be working.”

Since 2012, August footfall has risen significantly, making this the second strongest month of the year, after June and its visitors for business and tourism.

“Regional and national communication attracts many visitors from outside,” Rozenn adds, “and there are positive effects all through the year. However, the Voyage à Nantes is also a firm favourite with the people of Nantes so, even if the offering is free, it serves to boost consumption in the city centre.”

Thus, over ten years down the line, le Voyage à Nantes has established itself as an attractive feature of the city, favoured by companies who are choosing Nantes to set up or develop their business.

“It’s a continuous work in progress,” Rozenn concludes,” the fruit of close collaboration between all the actors, local authorities mandating the project, and bodies tasked with economic development, the CCI, trade associations, La Cité Nantes Congress Centre, Nantes-Saint-Nazaire Development Agency, etc. Le VAN is fast becoming part of our shared DNA.”

Florence Alix-Gravellier, Editor

On becoming head of the Sustainable Tourism Fund at the ADEME (French Environment & Energy Management Agency), after her role as a marketer working in cosmetics, Sophie Portier (GE 02) would see her career take on a whole new turn. Today, more in line with her own core values, she encourages tourism stakeholders to come up with an offer that is eco-friendlier and more respectful to our cultural heritage.

From Greece to Algeria and Croatia, once again this summer the Mediterranean coast has been the scene of some spectacular fires, that have destroyed thousands of hectares of heritage in their wake. What is their common denominator? Heat and drought, all within the context of a spike in tourism-related activities during this period of the year.

“Today, given the impact of global warming, it seems paramount to me that all tourist-related activities should be sustainable,” warns Sophie Portier, coordinator of the ADEME tourism and territory hub.

She further underlines that 6 July this year marked a sad milestone in the number of commercial flights ever to be recorded.

Virtuous tourism

Fostering a culture of local tourism that promotes relocating, by limiting greenhouse gas emissions, is the ultimate solution to which this Audencia Grand Ecole graduate holds firm.

“For some years now, an alternative offer has been emerging with low-carbon proposals. There is also an increasing number of actors who are raising their customers’ awareness to have a more virtuous approach by opting to travel by train,” says a delighted Sophie who, in 2018, earned a master’s in sustainable development and organisation at Paris Dauphine University.

This offer chiefly involves slow tourism and ecotourism which, through their various proposals, both share a commitment to working towards preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the destinations chosen by tourists.

The management of tourist flows

Thus, in France many tourist hubs now set quotas to avoid tourist congestion and the overexploitation of resources. Some car parks also manage this flow with online parking to stagger the arrival of vehicles.

“It’s down to everyone to take responsibility, but this also involves all levels of politics (from municipalities to government) and the economy (transport, food, building, souvenirs, etc.,)” Sophie states. “Let us not forget that cultural attractiveness influences tourism. Therefore, we must do all we can to preserve this.”

Eléonore de Vaumas (SciencesCom 11), Editor

On Monday 17 July, Christophe Germain informed the Management Board at Audencia of his decision to step down from his position as Dean of Audencia. An immediate search got underway to find his successor. Provisionally, and pending this new appointment, Laurent Métral, currently President of the School, is undertaking the role of President and Dean.

Under the executive leadership of Christophe Germain, in the span of 5 years the school has celebrated numerous successes. Prime examples include strong international development, the launch and implementation of the ECOS 2025 strategic plan, notably with the establishment of the school of Gaïa that is the only one of its kind in France, as well as the strengthening of ties amongst partners of the Alliance linking Audencia, Centrale Nantes and ENSA Nantes.

In addition, following the guidance of its appointments committee, the school’s Governance Board has confirmed the appointment of Christophe Collignon as Deputy Dean. Reporting to the new Dean, he is tasked with implementing the roadmap which was drawn up after the school’s latest audit. For the last 5 years, Christophe Collignon had been the founder and CEO of Sens Collectif whose expertise aimed to develop corporate collaborative governance for global and sustained performance. Prior to this, for 18 years he held senior management positions at IMA Technologies.

Jean-Baptiste Thibaut, Head of Internal Communications at Audencia

This year at Audencia, a procession of over 5,400 candidates, eligible to undergo oral interviews to join the Grande École and Bachelor in Management programmes, arrived with one sole aim in mind: to secure their place for the start of the 2023 academic year. At the end of a series of sessions held from April to June, over 2,300 students were accepted. And preparing for the best possible reception of students for this exam period calls on the mobilisation of an entire team.

The Far West. “This is the central theme we selected to build the whole experience around,” explains Louise Patin, communications Manager for the Grande Ecole programme at Atlantic Campus. She accompanied the 90 admissions staff, a team of 20 responsible for student accommodation, transport, activities, and breakfasts etc., for this PREPA-based (higher education preparatory classes) and AST-based (admission on qualifications) period. Since January, the team had been busy working on the organisation of the oral admissions tests, held from 15 May to 30 June, which saw 4,000 applicants taking part.

“Working together, we thought about how we wanted to welcome them in and give them a taste of student life here at Audencia, whilst also pursuing academic excellence.”

The day kicked off at 7.30 in the morning. After a welcome speech given by Alexandre Pourchet, Grande Ecole Programme Director, and familiarising themselves with their interview slots, they were invited to head over to the amphitheatre. This was decorated to create a saloon-like atmosphere for them to enjoy whilst waiting to sit their orals. Between each test, the admissions staff took to the stage with presentations relating to Audencia’s various clubs, featuring Equinox, Sham, POP etc. On the programme of activities: video games, ping-pong, XL Connect Four, concerts, tours around Nantes, boat trips along the banks of the Erdre, and more.

“This programme also gave us the chance to showcase what Nantes is like with the great many assets it has to offer.”

Alumni were also on board

This rallying of the troops was not to be outdone at our City Campus.

“The Bachelor in Management orals took place from 18 April to 12 May on our sites based in Nantes, the Roche-sur-Yon, and the Meeting Village nearby the new Paris Saint-Ouen campus. Some 1,243 candidates were in attendance (compared to 1,035 in 2022),” underlines Amandine Delaunay, admissions manager. She adds: “These young 17- to 18-year-olds were hosted for half days and mentored by a group of around 12 students who had courses in parallel. Their accompanying parents also received a warm welcome, with a tour of the campus and also a presentation given by the management board.”

On the bill: gaming, wooden games, a cosy chill-out space on the terrace, an open refreshment buffet, and more. In parallel, a team of 6 admissions staff, all SciencesCom students, put on a Burger Quiz for the 120 candidates. Meanwhile, the 61 candidates for our all-new Bachelor in Design and Communications Project Management were able to look around the School of Design before partaking in lunch at the Mediacampus.

It should also be noted that many of the juries were out in force for this occasion (for the aforementioned programmes, and indeed for the SciencesCom programme). A great many alumni featured amongst them.

“We tallied up a total of 760 pairs, 306 external assessors with 47% alumni,” explains Louise Patin.

For her part, Amandine Delaunay said that 40 alumni who are “highly dedicated supporters of the exercise” took part as jury members for the orals for the Bachelor in Management Programme, in addition to the 13 SciencesCom graduates. This active commitment plays an important and essential role in continuing to maintain the spirit of Audencia within the class intakes across the various programmes!

Florence Falvy, Editor

• Held on 8 June at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the Inspiring Conference on the Future of Cultural and Creative Industries was a sold-out success!

Those who wished were able to visit the exhibition on the architect Norman Foster showing at the Beaubourg Centre of Arts and Culture, before some 140 participants gathered to hear Nathalie Bondil, Director and Chief Curator at the Arab World Institute, talk on aesthetic emotions, values, diversity, interculturalism and the changing face of cultural institutions.

Following this, a round-table discussion was hosted by Constance d‘Illiers, Head of project and digital mediation at Paris Musées (École du Louvre graduate and 2016 exchange student at Audencia). This was an opportunity to address topics such as the democratisation of culture through digital transformation, the global development of cultural institutions, the development of entrepreneurship in culture, as well as the emerging impact of artificial intelligence on certain cultural and artistic professions. Three Audencia alumni took part in this round table: Donatienne Hantin-Charbaut (GE 87 and SciencesCom 88, co-founder of Festival Jazz at Saint-Germain-des-Prés), Emmanuel Jacomet (GE 12, Executive Producer at Mediawan kids & family), and Pierre Reinisch (GE 13, Head of international development and consulting manager at Beaux Arts & Cie). This event ended on a high with a cocktail reception and a great time being had by all, as attendees enjoyed the view overlooking the Parisian rooftops.

Discover the photo gallery

• On 7 to 8 July, the Audencia Golf Trophy brought together 108 participants who competed on the golf courses in Nantes, Paris, and Chengdu.

This event was both collaborative (with participants playing in teams of three), and cross-network (Audencia students and alumni walked the fairways with players from other networks, and other schools), and placed firmly under the banner of solidarity.

Indeed, each year the Audencia Golf Trophy commits to supporting student grants made possible by the Audencia Foundation. The €3,000 collected will serve towards the funding of grants for student entrepreneurs and students in the Sirius Programme, a study track that is the only one of its kind in France, which allows high-school leavers with a vocational baccalaureate qualification to benefit from a one-year course in preparation for entry onto the Bachelor programme.

Our special thanks goes to our two sponsors, the CIC Ouest, represented by Frédéric Robin (GE 97), and dVine, represented by Sébastien Joumard (GE 90), for their continued trust. In addition, those taking part in Nantes and Paris, also had the opportunity to enjoy a blind wine tasting session organised by dVine. A well-deserved reward after a tough workout!

Discover the Nantes photo gallery  Discover the Paris photo gallery  Discover the Chengdu photo gallery

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

Cross-disciplinary pathways, courses in fine art, student clubs, and so much more. At Audencia, culture is omnipresent. This is evidenced by the existence of the Cultural Activities Club and the Culture & Management Club, the inspiration behind the Innovation Awards. We shed some light...

The Cultural Activities Club was first set up around a decade ago. Its aim is to “make the most of the cultural scene in Paris!” explains Nushad Merchant, Alumni Relations Manager, who runs the club. He adds:

“We put on guided tours once a month (excluding July and August) that take place on Saturday mornings in the various Parisian districts and museums in and around the capital, with our tour guide and speaker, Véronique Proust. The fee for taking part is 5 euros.”

There are 20 to 25 places available for each outing, and these are always highly sought after. Participants are alumni who care about culture, some of whom move in these professional circles. Members can also invite others along to join in.

Upcoming events include:

• on 7 October: a "balade & coaching photo"
• on 14 October: a tour of the Gustave Moreau Museum
• on 18 November: the "Pinault Collection"
• on 2 December: a visit of Saint Sulpice Da Vinci Code
• on 15 December: the suites of the "Hotel de la Marine​"

Note that new features have been added since the start of the school year…

“And to attract our international alumni, we now offer tours in English. The first of these took place in the Montmartre district on 16 September. In parallel, we are also trying out a new format from October: photo walks.” To kick off this new cultural outing, we will be heading over to the François Mitterrand Library.

The club, currently on the lookout for an ambassador, also provides an opportunity to build bridges and initiate discussions with alumni working in these cultural professions, who are therefore able to offer tours. This is a great way to showcase their career paths.

Celebrating cultural innovation

As for Culture & Management, this club was created back in the early 80s and is made up of and dedicated to professionals working in the cultural sector, who are from eight institutes of higher education including Audencia, the first management school to join in 2016. The aim here is to “foster a culture of networking between alumni who are management professionals in the cultural and creative sectors,” as well as to “maintain a transversal sectorial review of the issues at stake through the organisation of debates and events,” states Pierre Reinisch (GE 13 - specialised in the Management of Cultural Institutions and Multimedia Industries), the former secretary general. This year he is stepping down in order to devote more time, in his role as advisor, to the Culture & Management Innovation Awards (PICEM). This is open to start-ups created within the last five years that have an annual turnover of less than €1M, or with fewer than 10 employees. Its purpose is to “reward business start-ups for the practical innovation solutions they bring in.”

Our 7th edition was held earlier this year on 5 July. This year, four innovative young businesses (1) received recognition from among the twenty or so applicants. They join the ranks of the thirty start-ups to have already been given a helping hand. Clearly this award generates a great deal of exposure.

“We activate our network to enable them to be put in touch with a prominent figure of their choice from the cultural world to help grow or fund their business.”

(1) The honorees:

• Creative Support category: Music Unit (music and sound creation studio)
• Responsible Commitment category: InCahoots Production (360° virtual tours for people living with disabilities)
• All Public category: Sonorium (musical experience creator)
• Public Choice Award: AFTU (an app enabling visual artists to build their collection by trading their works)

Florence Falvy, Editor

Thanksgiving Point is a Utah-based company in the United States, that has carved out a name for itself in the discovery of cultural and natural-world heritage. At the helm of its educational services is Axel Estable (GE 96), who is also endeavouring to make these more accessible to audiences who are in precarious situations. 

With everything from touching a dinosaur bone, to admiring the exotic butterflies and observing the living and breathing giant cockroaches. Here are just a few of the visitor experiences on offer at Thanksgiving Point, an American organisation which has a museum of fossils and ancient life, an educational farm, a butterfly conservatory and insectarium, botanical gardens, as well as a children’s hands-on science centre. So, what sets this park apart from the rest? In charge of guest learning is a Frenchman: Axel Estable, who is tasked with encouraging as many people as possible to discover the wonders of our natural-world heritage.

“We tend to forget, but heritage also comprises all the objects that symbolise the memory and history of the Earth, as well as all that is living. In Utah, where our organisation is located, there is a tremendously rich natural history, and no shortage of opportunities when it comes to admiring our environment,” this museum lover declares.

A career detour

After graduating from Audencia, Axel Estable headed over to the other side of the Atlantic to pursue an MBA specialising in finance. Then, he was quickly snapped up for a teaching position in web strategy in the MIS (Management Information Systems) department at Miami University. A far cry indeed from the museum world that, one day, would become part of his day-to-day life, some 12 years later.

“I resumed my studies in France, and completed an internship working as the Sustainable Development project leader for the Château de Versailles. It was here that I first discovered a great interest in this sector, a passion that has never left me,” says Axel who has been Stateside now for the past 8 years.

A democratic approach

A key part of their mandate is to provide free educational programmes to broaden access for audiences who are far from culture. Funded by both public and private subsidies, these provide access to culture for all.

“Learning and wonder should not be a luxury reserved for the well off. For us, a democratic approach involves the removal of the barriers preventing people from coming along, be they financial, cultural, or other.”

Access is also achieved through the development of technological solutions that, while preserving the experience, help pave the way for new forms of learning and discovery. Indeed, this world is full of riches that will never cease to amaze us!

Eléonore de Vaumas (SciencesCom 11), Editor

With her strong passion for music, literature, and the visual arts, Eve Le Gall (GE 05) followed the Grande Ecole Programme at Audencia to enhance her skills in budget management, marketing, etc. This background quickly enabled her to land a post working as marketing manager at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, in Brisbane, Australia.

“I was eager to go out and discover and ready to experience other cultures,” Eve explains.

This desire would take her far away from France until her return in 2022. After Brisbane, she headed to Sydney where she set up the entire digital strategy for the city’s symphony orchestra opera house.

Next stop the New-York City Ballet, which offered her a post as marketing manager. This was a new experience that further honed her knowledge of the sector and its many facets. She explains:

“The key to all this is wanting to contribute towards a mission and to commit to a meaningful career plan. This is especially true in the cultural field where salaries are often lower than you find elsewhere.”

Today, Eve works for Atout France, the government tourism development agency, as their deputy director of marketing and partnerships. This is a more institutional position than the others but also provides more scope as Eve also deals with CSR and sustainable development. This rich career path goes hand in hand with vocation and the ability to adapt.

There is no lack of skills in this department when it comes to Laura Ruiz Velasquez. She was born in Bogota, Colombia, and studied finance at Externado University before spending a year and a half in France – her very first trip abroad! – thanks to an exchange programme with Audencia.

After her time in Nantes, she completed an internship at L’Oréal in Paris and got a taste for the world of marketing.

“This trip changed my whole life. On returning to Colombia, I turned my back on finance to pursue marketing. Understanding people’s needs and dreams really appeals to me,” shares Laura.

She would go on to have several posts at Unilever in her home country and then in Mexico. Yet her career took another twist when she decided to study for an MBA in Dubai. This was in 2019 and today, in 2023, Laura is still settled there. She is currently head of marketing at an indoor play area, OliOli. She is flourishing in her role there: “It is a place for children where they can have fun, learn, and test things out. It is great fun working with this group of people. Furthermore, I am in charge of strategy here, and in a leadership position that I really love.” For the time being, Laura has no plans to leave Dubai. Over the next few years, she would however like to continue learning.... and also make a little more time for her personal life!

Anne Dhoquois, Editor

For the second year in a row, the Soirées des Audacieux organised by the Audencia Foundation – held in Nantes during the month of June and September in Paris – are events aiming to build awareness of the Foundation’s projects whilst appealing to the kind generosity of the School’s Alumni.

An incredible €37,980! This is the grand total of donations made to the Foundation during the Soirée des Audacieux, held on 19 June at the Mediacampus in Nantes. With an initial target set at €35,000, suffice to say the event turned into a tremendous success.

Hosted by journalist Cécile Lefort (SciencesCom 02), this night of fundraising was designed to bring together the Foundation’s donors for a time of thanksgiving, exchange and sharing. Invited along to share their journeys were three students who are currently being financially supported by the Foundation across three of its flagship projects: social scholarships, student entrepreneurship grants, and the Sirius Programme.

The donors got to hear some rather inspiring testimonials: Aurélia, a PGE student specialising in the Global Mobility Track who is a beneficiary of a social scholarship; Ynès, an ABM student and co-founder of MOBIVI, a recipient of an entrepreneurship grant; and Tom, a Bachelor’s student from the first-ever class year of the Sirius Programme. The Sirius study track is an initiative set up by Audencia allowing high-school leavers who have obtained a vocational qualification to pursue a free one-year foundation course to prepare for the higher-education competitive entrance exams.

From the Bachelor’s Programme to the Grande Ecole Programme, all in all around fifteen Audencia class years attended this Nantes-based event, spanning the years from 1978 to 2018! All donations collected go straight towards supporting 15 of our students (7 social scholarships, 5 student entrepreneur grants, and 3 scholarships on the Sirius Programme).

Based on the same model, the second of our Soirées des Audacieux was held in Paris on 11 September. The goal was reached and once again surpassed, with €54,600 pledged to help even more students!

Clearly, the culture of giving continues to grow stronger across our Audencia alumni network. Many thanks to all our donors for showing your commitment and for standing alongside our students! 

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

As part of its “Diversity & Inclusion” campaign, the Foundation is shining a spotlight on the donors and student beneficiaries in a series of videos entitled “A donation, a story.”

Amongst the contributors we find Audencia alumni who continue to remain increasingly invested and generous. So, what are the driving forces behind this generosity of theirs? And as the final link in the chain, what do student beneficiaries say about how they are making valuable use of this support?

Behind each donation there is a real story. In order to grasp exactly what this means in real terms, the Foundation has produced an initial series of four videos, in which a donor and a beneficiary sit together, side by side, and share their perspectives.

“I wanted to support a cause that was close to my heart, and the issue of equal opportunities in life is one of them,” shares Elisabeth Fessart (GE 85), General Delegate of the Union of Local Businesses, who sits alongside Tom Perez, a student on the Sirius Programme. “This grant has helped me a great deal,” he adds. “Without this, I would never have been able to follow this study year on the Sirius Programme, because of my financial resources.”

Discover the video

As for Paul Calès (GE 18), CEO of Naostage, himself the recipient of an entrepreneurship grant during his studies at Audencia, he considers that “paying it forward is vital” provided that one has a growing business. In the same video, Lola Calandreau, a student on the Bachelor in Management, explains that, as a student entrepreneur, the grant has proved very useful to her.

Discover the video

Upcoming encounters with donors and beneficiaries are soon to take place for a new series of videos to clearly reveal the driving forces of all those involved. Watch this space!

Discover the video of Lucie Ackermann & Aurélia Rotolo and the video of Cécile Tassou-Cadeau & Tom Perez

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

“When I was an adolescent, I read ‘Complot à Versailles’, an historical novel by Annie Jay, and this is where it all began: I fell in love with Versailles, a passion which has never faded in me”, shares Laurane Bourgoint (GE 11), now 35 years of age. Yet despite this evident calling, for this young woman finding her own path has proved quite a journey.

After passing her baccalauréat, Laurane followed a preparatory course before going on to enrol at the school of Audencia, with no specific career goal in mind. After graduation, she was hired as a strategy consultant at Capgemini Consulting. However, after three years, she decided to take a one-year break and embark on a round-the-world trip. On returning, she rejoined her former company and was promoted to manager, but she still had this desire for adventure. She took a couple of months out, cycling around France, before working as a gabier on board the Hermione. These experiences inspired her to leave Capgemini and head up an association, Entracte, proposing personal development activities to help support young people in difficulty. In parallel, she set up an Insta account recounting daily life under the ancien régime (old order in France) a new step in her career path that would eventually lead to the setting up of her own company, Les dessous de Versailles, in January 2022.

“At that moment in time, the stars aligned: I had the energy, the savings, and enough professional experience to get the ball rolling. In addition, thanks to Audencia, I grew my network, learning how to be resourceful, flexible, and resilient... The qualities required to become an entrepreneur!” Laurane explains.

So, what exactly is her idea? To organise guided tours recounting what life was like at the court of Versailles in a humorous and playful way.

“At school, history is not taught in a very engaging way. It is just not practical for people to grasp. So, I decided to talk about it by means of anecdotes:  how they used to wear makeup, how they went to the toilet, whether women used to remove their body hair, and so on. It was all very well documented in the pages of the 73 books I had on Versailles”, explains Laurane, who has also written a “Court of Versailles survival guide”.

After making a few adjustments to her business offer, Laurane has come up with a great business model, rolling out services targeting businesses, participating in scenarios of historical fiction, and more... She concludes:

“Finding your place in this world is a lengthy process.”

 

Find out more about "Les dessous de Versailles"

Anne Dhoquois, Editor

Marianne Revoy (GE 94) has worked for many public institutions and local authorities. This is her career story.

How did your career in the cultural sector first come about?  

After graduating, I spent the next two years working in training before resuming my studies with an M2 at Dauphine, in the psycho-sociology of work. In parallel, I had the opportunity of working for the Centre National de la Cinématographie (French National Centre for Cinematography), as a project manager. This worked out well because working in the cultural sector had been a long-standing goal of mine. Incidentally, this was also the subject I chose to speak on during my admissions interview for Audencia!

Could you walk us through the milestones of your career path to date?

After the CNC, I went on to the Ministry of Culture, where I was tasked with heading up the bureau for legal, economic, and cultural industries. I then worked at DRAC (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs) for the Ile-de-France region as head of theatres, before being appointed Deputy Director for Culture and Heritage in the Seine-Saint-Denis department of France. Following this, I became the cultural advisor to the Mayor of Paris, before working for the Centre National des Arts Plastiques (National Centre for Visual Arts). For the past two years, I have been the director of cultural affairs for the administrative district of Ivry-sur-Seine.

Since the start of your career in the cultural sector, you have worked in the public sector. Is this intentional?

Yes. My career choices are driven by the various audiences. I have ploughed the furrow of public policy which seeks to develop creation and repertory for a great many people. In our capacity as public policy actors, who do we reach and how? It is all about making the artists and their works exist in the public domain. This includes helping to share works that are as beautiful as they are interesting and moving… These policies also enable contemporary artists to earn a living from their craft, since they are supported throughout their activities.

What advice would you give a student or a graduate of Audencia seeking to work in the field of culture, in the public sector?

A common-good mindset is very important if you are looking to work for public-service bodies. It is a true civic commitment. There are real needs out there and positions to be filled. Today, it is all too easy to find out about any available posts in the cultural sector, be they public or private. It is possible to take the competitive public service exams, but this is not obligatory. You do not necessarily have to become a civil servant, since public authorities also take on contractors. Finally, I would add that issues related to sustainable development are now highly relevant to the cultural sector. This may prove a valuable insight for anyone wanting to break into this sector.  

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

• Friday 22: DATARAMA#8 - Dataviz d'intérêt général - Nantes
• Saturday 23: Audencia Triathlon & After Triath' - La Baule
• Tuesday 26: General Assembly of the Audencia Alumni association (online)
• Wednesday 27: AMBA event - Mexico City
• Thursday 28: Iségoria conference - "Le commandement au sein des armées, un rôle essentiel face à la montée incessante de nouvelles menaces" with Laurent Michon - Nantes

• Monday 2: afterwork - Nantes
• Monday 2: afterwork - Luxembourg
• Wednesday 4: handover ceremony & afterwork - Madrid
• Saturday 7: visit & coaching photo - Paris
• Tuesday 10: webinar "Future-proof your career: strategies for thriving in a changing world"
• Saturday 14: guided tour "Musée atelier Gustave Moreau" - Paris
• Tuesday 17: Iségoria conference "Marc Lesage Moretti, de la finance au gaming, une reconversion atypique" - Nantes
• Tuesday 24: MBA community alumni talks & MBA networking event - Nantes
• Thursday 26: AMBA networking event - London

• Tuesday 7: Engineers-Managers event - Paris
• Thursday 9: Iségoria conference "Claudie Haignéré - la conquête spatiale et le rôle d'une astronaute"
• Thursday 9: ApéroPitchs event
• Tuesday 14: webinar "Steve Dalton on: how to turn new connections into job search allies"
• Saturday 18: guided tour "Collection Pinault" - Paris
• Saturday 25: Audencia Homecoming Day (celebrating the graduation anniversaries) - Nantes

• Saturday 2: guided tour "Saint Sulpice Da Vinci Code" - Paris
• Wednesday 6: Iségoria conference "Sylvie Bermann - La diplomatie, le rôle des ambassades, zoom sur son livre "madame l'ambassadrice" - Nantes
• Thursday 14: MBA & Executive Education networking event - Nantes
• Friday 15: guided tour "Les Salons de l'Hôtel de la Marine" - Paris

“Cas en marketing durable - une vision renouvelée des approches et pratiques du marketing” (“Sustainable marketing case studies – a renewed vision for marketing approaches and practices”)

This book offers the reader an understanding of the marketing approaches and tools that also consider the environmental and social issues at stake. In addition, it provides a reflection on the challenges surrounding sustainable marketing. The case studies, taken from current events and corresponding to real-world contexts, illustrate the ways in which sustainability can be incorporated into marketing while outlining the scope of sustainable marketing. This publication, co-written by lecturer-researchers, provides case studies in: strategic marketing, operational marketing, and more.

Sihem Dekhili, Fanny Reniou, Florence Charton-Vachet, Blandine Labbe-Pinlon, and Cindy Lombart - Published by Ems Management & Société

"De Gruyter Handbook of disability and management"

The De Gruyter Handbook of Disability and Management uses an interdisciplinary lens to study disability and management, integrating perspectives from disability studies, psychology, education, and legal domains. It aims to incorporate a contextually sensitive and global perspective to emphasize actionable areas of inclusion and provides a more international focus by including contributions from across the world including contries and regions that have till date received less attention in the area of disability studies.

This handbook will guide and support efforts of organizational stakeholders and policy makers as they strive to be more inclusive.

Joy E. Beatty, Sophie Hennekam, and Mukta Kulkarni - Published by De Gruyter

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:

Anne-Cécile Aucomte (GE 05) has been appointed Commercial Director at MK2+

Frédéric du Beaudiez (GE 96) has been appointed Deputy Director in charge of Strategy, Marketing and Development at Inter Mutuelles Assistance Group

Raphaël Bonnault (Exec MBA 10) has been appointed Poultry Operations Director at Le Gouessant

Séréna Breot (GE 12) has been appointed Marketing Director - South East Asia & Greater China at Robert Walters France

Sandrine Cochepain (GE 08) has been appointed Director of Client Marketing at Lindt & Sprüngli

Sibylle Costet (GE 96) has been appointed Director of Canopy Family Office at Amplegest (Cyrus Consultancy)

Christine Drewitt-Le Borgne (GE 89) has been appointed Senior Vice President, Finance Europe at Koné

Alexandre Fannius (GE 14) has been appointed Vice President EMEA at Taboola France

David Flochel (GE 98) has been appointed Non-Executive Director at Maison Sassy

Geoffroy Fourgeaud (GE 89) has been appointed Human Resources Director - Orange Wholesale France at Orange

Nicolas Gouey (Exec MSc Chief Financial Officer 2018) has been appointed Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Magellim Group

Amandine Laroche (GE 96) has been appointed Marketing, Communications and Digital Director at La Fée Maraboutée

Domitille Martin (GE 09) has been appointed Director of Finance and Administration at Silamir

Thierry Moiroud (GE 01) has been appointed Key Account Director at Amarenco France

Clara Moulin-Tyrode (GE 11) has been appointed Deputy Production Director for the Avignon Festival

Jérôme Riedinger (GE 05) has been appointed Co-Director of the Transport-Tourism-Mobility Division at The BVA Family

Mickaël Vinet (GE 00) has been appointed President of Coca-Cola France at The Coca-Cola Company

Constance Wiblé (Communications Management 2006) has been appointed Head of Communications and Brand for Abeille Assurances (Aéma Groupe)

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

Julien Buffy (GE 17) is the Founder of Wealo.co

Laurent Desflans (GE 19) is the Co-Founder & CFO of Leasi

Joachim Fredj (GE 22) is the Founder of RedSeat

Jean-François Gelfi (GE 14) is the Founder of Shamaan

Edouard Maumejean (SciencesCom 98) is the Founder of Shaman Concepts

Astrid Saurel (Bachelor 19) is the Co-Founder of Kreators Agency

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