The topic

MUSIC 3.0: up close with the artists

In the world of music, as in other sectors, ownership is no longer a key factor. It’s all about the experience now!  Boris Frochen (GE 03), co-founder of the DoubleOone start-up in San Francisco, takes us through some of the popular new trends around in music consumption.

 

Could you run us through the DoubleOone adventure?

Boris Frochen: DoubleOone was founded some two and a half years ago and is both an agency as well as a record label. An agency because we produce inspirational and experiential events, from event-driven marketing for the big brands to teambuilding types of events for major Silicon Valley businesses. We are also a label, as we produce bands by opening up our recording studios to various audiences while the artists are recording their music. What’s more, we are also breaking new ground. Our aim is to dive right into the very heart of musical creativity and open this world up to novices by creating gateways joining the creative music scene with the business world.

 

Is there a market out there for this new type of music consumption?

Boris Frochen: In the present music ecosystem, a great deal of revenue potential is left on the table - according to a study conducted by Nielsen, roughly three billion dollars down the drain each year! What are known today as music superfans, are on the lookout for experiences and a chance to get up close with the artists, preferably in a more intimate and regular way. DoubleOone generates this level of intimacy and exchange. Broadly speaking, millennials prefer experience to ownership. There’s no need to go back over the huge impact streaming has brought to music-related behaviours! What matters to these fans is having a one-of-a-kind, audio-visual experience that they can talk about and share on social media.  

 

How will we consume the music of the future?

Boris Frochen: All things physical have taken a backseat and the scales have tipped firmly in favour of streaming and also towards a rather experiential way of accessing music. The next phase is actually taking part in unique music experiences, an anthology, both directly or online, using 360 virtual reality. Simply put on a headset to experience a live Radiohead concert taking place in London, when in fact you are located somewhere in open country. Or even at a recording session in one of the DoubleOone studios! A mind-blowing view, high-quality sound and the like. Why not add in some avatars too, so that the audience can interject and ask the musicians some questions online? From here on in, audiences will have an increasing appetite for these kinds of products and services. 

 

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

 

The topic

A professional career moving to a musical beat

Working in the music business whilst exercising a conventional job, in finance or marketing for example, really is within the realms of possibility! These two alumni portraits reveal how.

Nothing about Enzo Ungauer (GE 18) marked him out as an obvious candidate who would go on to forge a career in the music industry. And yet, at the age of 26, he now holds the post of Head of Marketing & Artist Relations at Steinway & Sons France, the most prestigious of all piano brands.

“A dream come true!”

Event planning and working closely with the artists currently make up his daily rhythm. But don’t go jumping to conclusions that his passion for the musical instrument came about at a tender age.

“My mother had always wanted me to play the piano but back then it just didn’t appeal to me,” he recalls.

He was more into extreme sports at the time, until a nasty fall while skiing determined otherwise. At the age of 16, to pass the time he began playing the piano and discovered classical music. “I fell in love with Chopin.” Then came that decisive day when he met Jean-François Zygel who presents the culture show ‘La Boîte à Musique’ (The Music Box).  Following this, at the age of 20, Enzo gave his first concert which he performed on a Steinway piano of course! At this brand, making the stuff of dreams, there is a famous saying: “You’ll either stay six months or for an entire lifetime.”  You’ve guessed it; Enzo is intent on having a lifelong career with them.

Like him, Gabrielle Nicot-Bérenger also tinkles the ivories. This 2012 IMM graduate was raised in a musical home environment and has been working in London for the past five years. After a number of various jobs in the music industry, working for companies including Believe Digital and Music Glue, in August 2018 this young 29-year-old woman became the digital manager at Ignition, a company dealing in record labels and artist management. Her duties include managing both the online presence of artists as well as all communication with their fans (social media, websites and emails).

“At the start, I was venturing into unknown territory but the people in London are very approachable. One of the things that appeals to me most is getting to work alongside the artists and put their ideas into practice. What’s more, as new technology comes in, this industry is constantly on the move,” she explains.

 

Florence Falvy, Editor

 

The topic

Festivals and CSR: these local trailblazers

Year on year France plays host to approximately 2,000 music festivals which play a significant part in making this country one of the world’s top tourist destinations.  So where exactly does CSR come into all this?  A spotlight on the Port-Saint-Père Hors Tension (Unplugged) Festival held near Nantes, in the company of Erika Logeais (GE 98), who has been taking part in this event on a voluntary basis since 2015.

At the beginning of June, the Hors Tension festival marked its fourth edition. So, what role is this festival playing in terms of corporate and social responsibility?    

Erika Logeais: Truth be told, at the start we didn’t really give CSR any thought. However, in reality, a number of the festival’s commitments are akin to this approach, in particular when it comes to the hallmark of Hors Tension, which is all about being totally unplugged. We endeavour to be as economical as possible with respect to electricity consumption, so all our musical formats are performed without any electronic enhancement or amplification. For a number of artists, this can prove rather tricky! There is a closer rapport with the audience that you just don’t find at the larger festivals. The performers also tend to play in smaller settings, such as in private gardens which the owners open up just for the occasion.

 

How do you go about organising yourselves?

Erika Logeais: This fest was spearheaded by a group of residents coming together to set up a cultural project with the aim of injecting some life into their village. Music has a way of bringing people together. The locals are encouraged to get involved in the organisation too. We are all volunteers with a special interest in matters relating to citizenship and environmental issues. In terms of governance, we are a non-profit making organisation under the French law of 1901, but we only have co-chairpersons! We operate on a collective voting system for the major decision-taking and work in a very participative and collaborative manner. We have also adopted a cross-sector approach to work, and invite various actors from the municipality, the schools, townhalls, clubs and so forth to work together for instance. With regard to citizens, this seems to makes sense. I might add that the scheduling is designed to offer something for all ages and that our pricing policy remains very affordable.

 

What steps are you taking to protect the environment?

Erika Logeais: Conventionally, we use selective sorting containers from the municipality of course, but we are also striving to take things to the next level by limiting the amount of plastic used in our catering facilities. For example, plastic containers for chips have been replaced by paper cornets. We also get local farmers involved as much as possible, notably through our partnerships with the local producers of organic vegetables. What’s more, all the decor is pre-loved, with second-hand objects on loan from local recyclers or collected from across our network.

 

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor


 

The topic

Culture, one of the pillars at Audencia

Along with CSR and sport, culture constitutes one of the key pillars when it comes to training at Audencia. Regarding the arts and culture, Audencia has endless possibilities for both enthusiasts as well as those wishing to make a career out of them!

 

Student clubs

There’s a multitude of existing student clubs, each with their own inimitable style for promoting culture. The Grande Ecole programme is leading the way with an impressive total of seven cultural associations! The Arts Society (BDA), the COGEN Grandes Ecoles Choir & Orchestra, the Hallucinés film club, The In-édit (with its student’s guide to Nantes), Isegoria, and Shamrock are all helping to keep the arts alive at Audencia.

However, other programmes at the school are not to be outshone. For example, Audencia Bachelors has its own “Club Centre” which year on year offers students the chance to get involved in the various activities on offer from photography to video, theatre, dance, music and lots more besides. The range of cultural activities available is renewed based on the talents displayed by the new intake of students!

 

Culture at the heart of Audencia’s programmes

Audencia really likes to encourage creativity and culture, and this goes for its programmes too: Specialised Master in Music Industry Management, specialising in Management and Entrepreneurship in the Creative Economy partnered by the Louvre Museum, specialising in audiovisual creation and production, double diploma study tracks in the fine arts, film and animation/gaming and so forth. There’s a wealth of opportunities with something for everyone!

 

Individual initiatives

Read it, listen to it, then pass it on! This is the motto of Platine, a project spearheaded by Manon Novaretti, one of our Audencia SciencesCom students. Sometimes our students are the very driving force behind some super individual arts initiatives. Here, this is a project which emails weekly musical and literary gems to its subscribers.

 

Nantes, a city of culture

Audencia has a strong foothold in Nantes, not only with this being its birthplace but also as it is the capital of the great western region of France which provides a wide range of cultural offerings. That’s why, several years ago, the English newspaper The Sunday Times described Nantes as "the loopiest city in France". The article featured the Machines of the Isle of Nantes (Machines de l'île), contemporary exhibitions at the HAB Galerie, Claude Ponti, the “Cantine du Voyage” and the Chimney Villa (Villa Cheminée). As we head into the summer holidays, this offers a great line-up of events to either discover or go back to see again, what’s more the “Voyage à Nantes” is starting back for a new season!

 

Lauranne Heaume, on behalf of the Communcation Team

 

Campus life

Unmissable start-of-year events!

In September, the beginning of the new academic year is always the busiest time of year at Audencia, and with good reason! As soon as the new students arrive, a series of events will be laid on to welcome them to the school and make sure they quickly become network savvy. 

Here’s a quick roundup

Over 2,000 freshers will be joining the ranks of Audencia at the beginning of the new school year in September. This will be a great opportunity for us to welcome them here in style. From the moment they walk through the door, there’ll be given a very clear message:

“As of today, you are part of the alumni network.”

To get things off to a good start, first of all we are planning an induction day to present the campus and how it works along with a welcome address from the course director. Note that sunglasses with the Audencia logo will be handed out to all students at this occasion.

Following on from this will be the “Career kick off” event which is making a comeback for the second year in a row for international master’s students. This half-day session aims to help students take control of their career! A plenary meeting with a guest speaker has been designed to hit home the importance of honing networking skills and making connections with lots more besides. Next, three types of workshops will be provided with businesses, careers advisors (presenting one’s CV etc.) and alumni.

Finally, on 10 October, and as in previous years, the “International Day” event will get this school year well and truly underway. Over the course of this afternoon, four of our international alumni will be coming along to talk about their experiences and share their own top tips during a roundtable hosted by a career consultant. It’s all about getting to hear some inspiring stories and motivating students to get to work on building their international career path without delay.

 

And there’s more

Please also take note that, as early as the end of August, it will be a time for celebrations as we welcome the EuroMBA students, from 26 to 30 August, for their residential seminar in Nantes. On the calendar of events: in-company CSR week, then onto a networking event with all of the MBA graduates on 29 August. What’s more, we can now officially inform you that other student gatherings will feature on the line-up of events over the first few months of this new academic year: Audencia Talents, Career Connections Day, Future Leaders Day and lots more besides.   

 

Florence Falvy, Editor

 

Campus life

Lydia and Pascal at the helm of the school canteen

It serves up over 600 coffees per day!  Not to mention all the other beverages, sandwiches, salads and more. With Lydia Blon and Pascal Boismain in charge, the school canteen is keeping busy, establishing itself as the main hub of the Audencia village.

With its greenery, bright lights and constant chatter, the canteen at Audencia has a lot to offer when it comes to winning over its customers. Its opening hours run from 8am to 6pm and the very look and feel of the place is enough to draw you in, whether just for a coffee break or to get down to some work, on your own or in the company of others.

“From students on the courses to teachers and faculty members at the school, many come here to work in groups,” explain Lydia and Pascal, who have respectively given 26 and 5 years of good and loyal service to the canteen. “Meetings of varying lengths capture a true snapshot of our primary goal: this place acts as a meeting ground, bringing together people from a range of different backgrounds but all sharing the same common link to the school.”

With a ceiling height of 8 metres and its vast countertop space, this area is able to cater for up to 400 people without looking like the Paris underground during the rush hour.

“Sadly, we don’t really have time to stop and talk to every person that comes through the door,” Lydia and Pascal explain. “We try to be reactive while still remaining attentive to their needs.”

For the past four years, there has been a booking system in place, called ‘Tomorrow’, which makes it possible for customers to make an online breakfast booking from 7.30 in the morning. This new system has facilitated the jobs of Lydia and Pascal and at lunchtime has allowed them to split customer flow in two. There is another service on offer too: various school department heads can place orders for breakfast or business lunches which the canteen then prepares and delivers on the premises.

“We are well and truly part of Audencia and that’s a wonderful thing. We aren’t an external service provider working on the premises but fully-fledged co-workers. In terms of recognition, that changes everything! We get involved in the activities here, people call us by our first name, to put it simply, we are part of the great Audencia family!” conclude Lydia and Pascal, well aware of the added value the canteen brings to Audencia on a daily basis.

 

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

 

Campus life

New programmes and a distinction in China

Double degree with Sciences Po

Sciences Po Saint-Germain (institute of political science) and Audencia will be providing a double degree from the start of the 2019 academic year. For the two schools, this curriculum forms part of their shared commitment to developing high-level partnerships to promote both the hybridisation of skills and the interdisciplinary training of their future executives. The objective of this partnership: to enable Sciences Po Saint-Germain students to access pathways to the Grand Ecole programme at the Nantes institute during their studies, while for students at Audencia this will be the other way around. The latter will be able to access various other academic specialisations: “European and International Professions”, “Professions in Law and public policy”, and also “Cultural Professions/Political Careers in communications and public policy”.

 

Introducing the all-new “Art de Vivre” study track    

 As of September 2020, a specialised training course focusing on French know-how in the spirits sector, will be open to both French and international students, thanks to a joint programme devised by the Grand Cognac agglomeration community, the Charente University Centre and Audencia. The range of training courses on offer extends from 3 years post-baccalaureate studies to also encompass vocational training: the Audencia Bachelor (3 years post-baccalaureate) programme will be introducing an academic specialisation in “Culture and Management in the Spirits Industry”. Students on this course will benefit from the expertise displayed by their professors in Segonzac, thereby enabling students to gain valuable insights into this economic sector, where Spirits Valley in Charente accounts for 80% of total revenues of French production. In addition to this, a Master of Science “French Art de Vivre”, taught in English, will have the capacity to accommodate around forty undergraduates. Graduates will be rewarded with a diploma, equivalent to 5 years post-baccalaureate studies, enabling them to go on to take up posts where they can help these markets to go global for instance.

 

Audencia receives an award in China

The Global University China Career Union has honoured Audencia with its prize for “Professional Service Collaboration”. This acknowledges the school’s commitment to supporting the careers of its students and alumni in China. It also recognises the quality of the framework set up by the school as well as the second-to-none mentoring undertaken by the school’s team of career consultants, picked (along with 32 other schools) from among 1,000 institutes of higher education. This award is all the more important as China represents one of the pillars of global strategy here at Audencia: the Shenzhen Audencia Business School campus, opened in 2016, and the Cooperative Center for Studies, partnered by the Beijing Institute of Technology since 2014, bear testament to this.

 

Jordi Soude (SciencesCom 07), Editor

 

Network talk

Bouncing back time and time again

“Whether it’s a change in career, moving abroad or embracing a lifestyle change, bouncing back is all about getting a fresh start, but it’s also about one’s ability to brave the various challenges life throws our way,” concludes Laetitia Lienhard (GE 17), Journalist for Echos and host at the IDxA roundtable which was held on 2 July this year.

When it comes to bouncing back, the four alumni guest speakers in attendance have all had their fair share of experience! In turn, they talked the 160 graduates present at the conference through their own personal life stories.

  • Marija Alabjeva (IMM 17): Marija is Latvian. She left her country at the age of 18, in search of a life with better opportunities. She came to France on her own, to a country she didn’t know. Despite having no moral or financial support, she went through a difficult period lasting two to three years, went from menial job to job and got to grips with the French language. “I kept going and managed to sign up for lessons at Nantes University and then went on to enrol on a course at Audencia. Paris is home now and I am a senior consultant in organisational management, so it was all worth it!”

 

  • Pénélope Bœuf (GE 07): Once she’d passed her baccalaureate exams, Pénélope went on to earn a degree in law as well as a diploma from Audencia. She was unsure which direction to take and ended up taking on various jobs: Century Fox, Publicis, Oui FM, M6, Groupo, and more.  In the end, she started her own business: “things went well for us and we eventually got spotted, which led to us selling the company on. I was awarded with a big fat cheque. However, thereon in things started to take a nosedive. I wondered what I should be doing with my life? I told myself, “it’s enough just to go from job to job, even if I didn’t enjoy them,” and then I launched my podcast, “the Hoax, true-life stories revealed”. Quite a coincidence for her, when even as a young girl she had already set her sights on storytelling. 

 

  • Etienne Cassagne (GE and MOS 09): After leaving Audencia, Etienne spent eight years working for Coca-Cola in events and marketing. “I started to take a step back from this supersized company and realised that what I really wanted deep down was to have closer contact with people, so I left after the UEFA Euro 2016.” He trained himself up in non-violent communication, contacted Audencia and benefitted from the school’s career coaching. “I had no idea which direction to go in but that didn’t matter. It’s not the destination that counts, it’s the steps you take during the journey.” Over time his project took shape and Etienne set up High Five Consulting. He coaches athletes and also runs the MOS: "This takes up around 2/3 of my time which leaves enough time for me to carry on coaching or continuing to do my in-house consultancy work.”

 

  • Jérôme Pasquet (MBA 06) is the co-founder of 10-Vins, the Nespresso of wine, alongside his two associates. This successful, 7-year long entrepreneurial adventure came to an end, following a difference of opinion. “We had reached the end of a run and were no longer on the same page. I left my position as chairman of the company; this start-up venture was like a baby to me. An association, is primarily a fixed-term contract before potentially going on to become a permanent contract.” Now, Jérôme is onto the next chapter of his life and has set up Peek’In, a digital service provider which helps return items of lost property to their owners in the hotel setting.

 

After this, it was Michaël Jérémiasz’s turn to speak. What he had to share could be seen by some as “a life lesson” while, for others it was “a speech to set ideas straight”. In short, an all-too-rare and powerful testimony which left no-one cold.

Michaël, a paraplegic since the age of 18 following a perilous ski jump, has lived several lives in one: four medals at the Paralympic Games, the world n°1, winner of 4 Grand Slam tournaments, flag-bearer for the French Delegation in Rio, author and conference speaker.

With his self-mocking sense of humour, he recounted his journey

“A year after the accident, in November 2000, I began training for wheelchair tennis. At the start, I didn’t enjoy it, as it’s hard when you had been used to playing standing upright. My hands were covered in blisters but I wanted to push through. My brother says this sport is ideal for me: ‘’Before, you had what it took mentally and technically but your footwork was all over the place, so problem solved!’’. Back in 2001, I was selected to train for the French national team. This sport has enabled me to create a new identity for myself.

Now, I see the glass as half-full and I want to make the most of it. I have a burning desire to live life to the full and have a blast! I also wish to help build a fairer society and downplay differences. A disabled person should be able to have a social life, friends, children and more besides. My quest for meaning is, “does this serve something more than just my own personal interest?”

Truly inspirational.

 

If you didn’t attend and would like to find out more, then you can:

 

 

Amandine Luce, on behalf of the Audencia Alumni Team

 

Network talk

Homecoming Day: thing are hotting up!

It promises to be unexpected, moving and unforgettable: Audencia’s very first Homecoming Day is looking forward to welcoming you back here at the school on Saturday 12 October later this year. An incredible 300 alumni are expected to attend this emotional day of celebrations which you certainly won’t want to miss out on!

Here’s a rundown of the festivities in store for you.

“Five class years, now that’s a cause for celebration! The School is inviting us all to gather together in Nantes for a celebratory journey through time, back to the very place it all started. It would even seem that the school has a few surprises up its sleeves. See you back at the school on 12 October!” says a zealous Gustave de Campigneulles (GE 14).

“I am one of those people who has remained best friends with their class year peers,” explains Estelle Marie (GE 04). “Coming back to the school means revisiting the places where these friendships were made. It’s also a chance to catch up with other school peers that you’ve lost touch with but take great pleasure in seeing again. Given this golden opportunity to get together with other alumni and revisit Nantes and more besides, you should all be making a beeline back here for Homecoming Day on 12 October! It’s decided then, let’s get those train tickets and hotels booked!”

From 1pm, the school will be opening its doors to welcome you back. A trip down memory lane: as soon as you step into the foyer, all your student memories will come flooding back. From your class year friends and teachers, to places, evenings out, clubs and even times you spent cramming for exams: the far corners of your mind are testament to the special bond you have with your school.

At 2pm, the launch of festivities with Christophe Germain, Director and Dean of Audencia, and Flavie Lorre (GE 98), President of Audencia Alumni. Shortly after this, sit back in your seats in the Edit de Nantes (Edict of Nantes) amphitheatre for a series of flashbacks which will transport you back in time to the great Audencia adventure, when the school was called Sup’ de Co, Atlantique School of Commerce or SciencesCom. No matter which programme you graduated on, whether PGE, IMM, Bachelor or MS MOS, you will travel to the world of Audencia, both past and present.

At 4pm, without missing a beat, you’ll be invited to go on an immersive and lively guided tour of the school, in the company of those who make up the Audencia of today. As you dive into the very heart of Audencia, this will help you gain a better perspective on your own memories with the current challenges.

Towards 6pm, you’ll have some much-appreciated free time to reconnect with your old acquaintances, meet your new friends, or head out to revisit the districts of Nantes where your student life still reverberates.

7.15 pm: high time for you to head down to the heart of the Île de Nantes, to an as-yet undisclosed prestigious location, for an unforgettable evening with a starred dinner (prestigious menu concocted and presented by the Starred Chef Jean-Yves Guého) and with a frenzied dancefloor. Not-to-be-missed!

 

Audencia Homecoming Day is for all class years celebrating their 1-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-,... 50-, 55-year graduation anniversaries.

So, make sure you spread the word. There will also be a special prize for the class with the biggest turnout!

 

Make sure you sign up soon to benefit from our special rates (available until July, 2019). 

Register here

 

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

 

Network talk

A roundup of three of Audencia’s biggest headlining events

A private guided tour of Le Voyage à Nantes (Voyage to Nantes) company, the return of the Bachelor gala, the Leaders' Circle event at Roland Garros and more. Between April and June, alumni from Audencia Nantes have certainly had plenty of opportunities to cross paths.

To start with, there’s nothing quite like taking a behind the scenes look at Le Voyage à Nantes company, a key player on the local cultural scene. On 25 April this year, 60 alumni members took advantage of this guided tour. From strategy to development, global ambition, a diversity of professions and more besides, Aurélie Peneau (Mahti 89), Tourism Development Director of the VAN, carried out a presentation of this local public company, followed by a tour around the premises. It also provided an ideal opportunity for the unveiling of what’s in store on this summer’s line-up.

Turning to the Audencia Bachelor gala, on 25 May, after a 12-year break, it has now made a spectacular comeback. So, what is the goal of this student-driven initiative? To bring together those following courses at the school and also to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first intake of students on the programme. Therefore, 200 people including alumni, students, teaching staff and members of the team, were able to join in this unforgettable evening packed with entertainment and exchanges, highlighting the school’s associative fabric and the vibrancy of the Audencia Bachelor Network.

Last but not least, on 6 June this year the Leaders' Circle, which brings together alumni with over 15 years’ experience, came up with a new type of gathering: a select group discussion over breakfast, before going on to watch some wheelchair tennis matches at Roland Garros.  Florence Alix-Gravellier, medal winner at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics and Head of Audencia Alumni, together with Etienne Cassagne (GE 09), CEO of the consulting company High Five Consulting, were the keynote speakers on the subject of “Handicap & Performance, from sport to business”. Organised by ambassadors Sébastien Rouzaire (GE 91) and Philippe Serzec (GE 92), the event played host to around twenty alumni.

 

Florence Falvy, Editor

 

Around the globe

A career path played out in several acts

The life of an expat can be viewed as a performance which takes place over several scenes. This is how we propose to retrace the career path of Eve Le Gall (GE 05). Join us as we take you over 17,000 kilometres from Nantes as we make our way to Sydney, Australia. This is where Eve chose to settle down some twelve years ago, after a period which saw her moving back and forth between continents.

“I love everything about Australia! The quality of life is rather exceptional, the climate extremely pleasant and the lifestyle is so laid back,” exudes Eve who decided to make this her home back in 2007, settling in Brisbane to be precise, two years after graduating on the Grande Ecole Programme.

At the time, she recalls feeling “ready for a break”. With her training background in literature, she admits to having a particular liking for culture. This isn’t surprising given that she was raised by a mother who was used to moving in the showbiz world. So, it will come as no great surprise that her first steps into the professional stage were taken in a cultural centre specialised in live entertainment, where she started out promoting tours by the Paris Opera House before moving onto promoting various shows, from stage musicals to opera.

In a similar vein to those entertainers who travel the world performing on some of the greatest stages across the globe, she in turn would go on to launch into a worldwide tour spanning nine months travelling across Asia, Russia, and the Middle East, before coming back full-circle to Sydney, where this time she worked at the opera house for the symphonic orchestra over the next six years. It was here that she would land a job in marketing and move on to become head of digital communication and new media. Subsequently, she headed for the States where she spent the next year working for the New York City Ballet at the Lincoln Center, the centre stage for the performing arts.

“It is one of the foremost centres for the Performing Arts and boasts 11 resident companies!”

“You’ve got to be bold”

As of last year, Eve has once again set course for Australia where she is now working as head of marketing for the Sydney Harbour Trust. This Australian Government agency is responsible for managing the cultural heritage of the sites surrounding the famous local harbour. Granted a work contract for a maximum period of two years, she is keeping her ear to the ground in order to look out for other opportunities which may come her way and enable her to write the next chapter to her story. Even though she openly admits to having to face certain challenges, mainly linked to her being far from home, she is adamant that at the age of 38, you should have the courage to become an expat and not allow your fears to get the better of you. 

 

Florence Falvy, Editor

 

Around the globe

Nico Laruina, baritone and marketer

So, you might think it’s impossible to work for a major corporation in marketing while also being an opera singer, but think again. It is indeed feasible, according to Audencia graduate Nico Laruina (EIBM 09), currently an executive for Nestlé. He travels the world at the weekend and spends his time off singing some of the greatest opera classics of all time. This unconventional Italian polyglot (he speaks six languages) lets us in on his recipe for blending two professional lives.

Despite his success, things haven’t always been easy for the artist:

“I was just starting out on a singing career but this came to an end in 2006, due to problems with my vocal cords. That’s why I branched off into marketing studies and studied for an EIBM at Audencia. I wasn’t like the others in this business world, which was a world away from the opera. In the circles I was moving in, everyone had already plunged themselves into the business world, with its codes of conduct and terminology that I was unfamiliar with. I had no choice but to adapt.”

After starting on a career path working for large corporations, in particular with L’Oréal (for the Lancôme and Bodyshop brands), Nico Laruina took the decision to allow his passion to take centre stage again and, in 2014, he resumed his singing career.  This bass-baritone went on to tour Europe, playing leading roles such as Figaro in Mozart’s opera.

For this young man, this made for two distinct professional careers but both with performing roles:

“You just have to be really well organised and be with a company that allows for a certain degree of flexibility. For instance, I need to take three weeks in a row off to go on tour and I have to sing for at least two hours a day. This passion is highly demanding on time but the various companies I’ve worked for have always gone along with it, and this has never slowed down my career.”

What’s more, the company occasionally calls upon the services of the singer: “At a time when I was working for Reckitt, they asked me to sing, with the accompaniment of a pianist, to 400 or 500 people at their Christmas party.”

 

For Nico, opera and business are not so dissimilar:

"When you are faced with a customer or their teams and you need to be convincing, to get them on board, it’s just like performing on stage, like singing to an audience.” If you tell him that his career path is rather exceptional then Nico Laruina displays disarming humility: “There’s nothing special about me. Or at least, I’m no more extraordinary than some of my colleagues who have a very demanding job and spend the rest of their time taking care of their family.”

Nico is currently working at Nestlé in Cologne and will be off on tour again this summer, singing among others to Mozart’s Don Giovanni as well as La Bohème by Puccini.

 

Jordi Soude (SciencesCom 07), Editor

 

Patronage & support

The specialised master in music industry management: help support diversity!

This autumn we are set to witness our first ever class year on the MS in Music Industry Management. This truly groundbreaking programme will indeed prove meaningful just so long as it can provide music-loving students with the opportunity to access a Grande Ecole course purely on merit alone. The Audencia Foundation is currently fundraising in order to finance scholarships to cover tuition fees for students from less privileged backgrounds.

This new course is partnered by Campus M and open to applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds for whom the music industry has a massive appeal. At the helm of this initiative is Angelo Gopee, Managing Director of Live Nation:

“Many people have the necessary skills but just can’t afford to pay for higher education. We can’t leave these minority groups out in the cold when it comes to cultural diversity. They have to be given a chance. We wish to provide scholarships for these individuals who are able to display drive, ambition, and passion for the music industry.”

Truth be told, the French music industry is more than ever in need of qualified young executives, from a wide variety of social backgrounds, if it is to continue to thrive and shine beyond its borders. For Audencia and Campus M, there’s no point starting a music training course without opening it up to young people who are already part of the scene but find themselves unable to afford the master’s tuition fees. This issue poses a societal challenge: it involves helping young people from diverse backgrounds by supporting their passion for innovation in the creative and cultural industries. 

With estimated costs around €15,000 per annum, Audencia and Campus M are setting up a scholarship fund to make the course accessible to a greater number of applicants. The target has been set for the end of August: a total €112,000 is to be raised to fund seven tuition scholarships and ten IT systems.

Via the Audencia Foundation, you can earmark your donations to go directly to the Specialised Master in Music Industry Management, student scholarships to cover tuition fees and/or IT systems for students. Indeed, 66% of the value of donations can be deducted from your income tax (for up to 20% of taxable income), or a wealth tax reduction of 75% of the value of the donation can be granted (up to €50k per year).  Concerning companies, donations open up a 60% tax break in corporation tax (up to 0.5% of pre-tax turnover).

 

Guy-Pierre Chomette, Editor

 

Innovation hub

The podcast phenomenon

From ‘Ouest France’ (the daily French newspaper) to the ‘20 Minutes’ news review, right through to the ‘France Inter’ radio station, the podcast has established itself as a go-to media support, which is henceforth in abundant supply. With radio stations understandably the first to turn to this support, numerous stakeholders, including brands, are today stepping up with their own new programmes.

“We really have entered an experimental phase,” explains Estelle Prusker, Head of Media studies at Audencia SciencesCom and host for the roundtable on “The podcast phenomenon” at the latest web2day event. “An enhanced offer leveraging on the fact that the overall number of listeners is on the rise but, as yet, there is no reliable tool for measuring podcasts. This raises challenges regarding the monetisation of this support.”

At Audencia SciencesCom, students here have had first-hand experience of podcast-related issues by working on the launch of Majelan, a broadcasting platform created by Mathieu Gallet (former CEO of Radio France) alongside Arthur Perticoz. A total of 37 students from the Master 2 Media programme gave considered thought to the issues regarding this new media and its supply, user experience and subscription model.

While podcasts are already used during lessons at Audencia, the school is taking things to the next level this coming September, by providing training on this support for teacher-researchers who wish to take part. In turn, Vincent Lefebvre, Associate Professor at Audencia, launched his own series of podcasts in September 2018, with the help of his students. This training is open to new entrepreneurs or specialists, consultancy professionals, students, teachers and researchers in the field of entrepreneurship. The first series (16 episodes) will aim at tackling different questions: At what point do you feel yourself turning into an entrepreneur? What event marks this transition out? As the company takes shape, do you lose your identity as an entrepreneur?

“The podcast genuinely helps you to focus on what matters and to develop very good relations with your interlocutor,” explains Vincent. “It also gives our students the chance to get out and meet up with entrepreneurs within a defined framework using technical aspects which are easily managed.”

A second season of this series should be out next year: “Even after 16 episodes, there are still a lot of issues we haven’t covered yet,” concludes Vincent.

Listen to the podcasts

Up-coming podcast: (The hoax) by Pénélope Boeuf (GE 07)

L'arnaque / The hoax

 

Jordi Soude (SciencesCom 07), Editor

 

Itineraries

Recent publications

 

"Management innovations - Making sense of transformation"

What are the underlying rationales behind management innovations? To what extent do they help spur corporate performance? In what ways do employees, managers and leaders make sense of them?

This book aims to provide the reader with all the necessary tools required for innovative business management and is supplemented by a wealth of research and field studies as well as business case studies.

Thibaut Bardon - Nicolas Arnaud - Clara Letierce - Editions DUNOD

 

 

 

The first ever white paper co-written by Audencia and NEOMA:
“French Higher Education: a global player”

For the first time, Audencia and NEOMA are joining forces to co-publish a white paper on the international strategy of business schools.

International faculty and students, worldwide exchange or dual-degree agreements, opening campuses abroad, accreditations, overseas internships and employment: this white paper details the different strategies adopted in a bid to enhance international promotion.

 

 

 

GO France - The guide to working in France

Written with input from HR professionals and international alumni, Go France is the result of a combined effort between Audencia’s Career Centre and the Audencia Alumni team. It aims to provide international students with professional guidelines to working in France, helpful resources and tools but also insights into life in France and the cultural context which internationals will find themselves experiencing.

Take Nonso’s advice and “get your French on”! Turn to page 25 to see what else he has to say.

 

 

Are you a published alumnus and would like to share your published work with fellow alumni? If so, then please drop the team a few lines here at: audenciaalumni@audencia.com

 

Emilie Tendron, on behalf of the Audencia Alumni Team

 

Itineraries

New appointments

Some fellow Audencians have changed post in recent months:

  • Séverine Aleon (GE 99) has been appointed Finance Director at PRISMA MEDIA
  • Olivier Becker (GE 00) has been appointed Head of Absolute Return High Yield & Convertible Bonds at Oddo BHF Asset Management
  • Alison Chamussy (GE 05) has been appointed Head of Marketing France + Benelux at SPOTIFY
  • Thomas Courtois (GE 97) has been appointed Chairman at NICKEL
  • Laurent Derbois (GE 83) has been appointed Associate at MBA Capital
  • Jérôme Estampes (GE 92) has been appointed Finance Director at GUERBET Group
  • Rémi Fontenais (FRC 14) has been appointed Compliance Advisor at AXA Investment
  • Pierre Gauthier (EMP-MBA 06) has been appointed Director of International Development at Dr Banner
  • Laurent Gauzi (GE 97) has been appointed Executive Advisory Lead France Belgium Luxembourg at Avanade
  • Maxime Germe (GE 07) has been appointed CFO Iberia at BREITLING
  • Elodie Huet (GE 01) has been appointed Director of Customer Experience at AVENTIM
  • Léonard Laval (GE 17) has been appointed Chief of Staff to Managing Director at DOCTOLIB
  • Stéphanie Le Gohebel (GE 98) has been appointed Head of CFA - IA (Adult Training Centre - AI Apprentice Intelligence) at CCI Nantes St Nazaire
  • Jean-François Le Martret (GE 81) has been appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer at GUERBET Group
  • Estelle Marie (GE 04) has been appointed South Europe Director at French Founders 
  • Karim Mary (GE 15) has been appointed Key Account Manager Logistics at MARS
  • Stéphanie Maschiella (GE 05) has been appointed Consultant in Tax Law practice at Arendt & Medernach
  • Sylvain Noel (GE 06) has been appointed Senior Marketing Scientist at IOOCX - Agency
  • Vincent Roux (GE 04) has been appointed Chairman at Réseau Entreprendre Atlantique
  • Christos Yannicopoulos (GE 91) has been appointed CEO at TESSI IBERIA

 

A number of fellow Audencians have launched their own companies:

 

Congratulations to each and every one of you on these distinguished appointments and business start-ups!

If you too would like to tell us about your own recent appointment or new start-up, then please drop us a line here at audenciaalumni@audencia.com

 

Emilie Tendron, on behalf of the Audencia Alumni Team

 

The summer compilation

What are we all reading and listening to this summer?

For our summer issue, alumni, admin and staff at the school have decided to take the plunge. We have compiled our Audencia playlist for you to listen to at the beach, and put together a list of our top picks to read or rediscover while lounging by the pool. It’s cheesy, it’s rock and everything in between. Don’t go poking fun now, it’s what we’re into!

Discover for yourself our summer playlist:   

 

Listen to the playlist

 

Looking for a good bedside read this summer? Then check out our reading list:

 

On behalf of all the writers here at the Mag, we’d like to wish you a great summer! See you back here at the start of the new school year for the next issue.

Amandine and Séverine, on behalf of the Audencia Alumni Team

 

The end

Thank you for reading this last issue of The Mag before the summer! We look forward to seeing you at the beginning of the school year, after a short summer break, for the 10th issue (already!).

Until then, everything happens on Together. Create your account, view upcoming events near you and join the 11,400+ Audencia Alumni in the network.

Any ideas for The Mag? Let us know if you would like to see a particular theme addressed in future issues. And for any questions, we are always available at: audenciaalumni@audencia.com

Have a great summer! 

 

Your Alumni Team

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