Together

Keep In Touch
Le 13 janvier 2017

Working freelance as a team leader

Name: Nick Lockett Current position: freelance, Team Leader - Mott MacDonald About my company: Irrigation engineering management Degree earned at Audencia: Euro MBA 03 Nationality: British Residence: Dhaka - Bangladesh “Follow your personal instinct and choose a career which is a real match with your character.” My work My role: Freelance manager leading a consultancy team currently in Bangladesh. Soft skills: Autonomous/be alert, open to other disciplines. Hard skills: Irrigation development/ civil engineering. How it started: I started with international volunteering. I would recommend looking at NGOs' for internships or volunteering. Later on I found clients through personal recommendations and working relationships. I have used LinkedIn a little as well. Nowadays consultancy agencies provide opportunities for networking. Websites of international agencies like the Asian Development Bank and the EU also have information on work opportunities. My world Culture shock: The biggest personal challenge when relocating for another project is support for one’s family. When one chooses to follow an international career, one must carefully judge the impact on one’s spouse and children (emotionally, socially and educationally). It’s not for everyone and it’s not for all families. Why choose an international career? Most importantly, it’s fun. In the context of consultancy projects, it also offers the opportunity to take on more responsibility and show more personal initiative than if one were working, say, in a head office. On the other hand, there are many commonalities between working internationally or in your home country. Most importantly, a manager does need to be able to see through cultural differences and respect individuals’ strengths in order to get them to work as a team. Audencia Careers says “Nick is an independent freelancer, successful in projects on different continents through personal recommendations.”

Keep In Touch
Le 6 janvier 2017

Sending a CV through the post, the old-fashioned way, will get your career off to a great start

Name: Marini Askia Turrell Current position: Senior Vice President, Citi Group United Kingdom Degree earned at Audencia: Friend of Audencia Nationality: American Residence: London - United Kingdom “My advice for students is to strengthen their self-awareness, and decide if an international career is for them!” Why choose an international career? I chose an international career since I have always wanted to live abroad; I love traveling and trying new challenges. I cannot think of anything that came as a culture shock, apart from the language barriers initially, when I arrived in France (except getting used to the stores being closed on Sunday!). I had to adapt, but being open-minded helped me on the way. Naturally, you have to embrace diversity, and cannot expect that everything should be like at home. You have to broaden your horizons and connect with local friends. I would suggest starting with participation in study abroad, to get a taste of living away from your home. Later when you start to work, it is good to choose an international or foreign company so that international opportunities are available. Let the company know that you are willing to go the extra mile, and sign up for international projects. It is a big effort and may take time, but very rewarding! A tip for setting yourself apart during the original application process when searching for a career? Sending in a hard copy resume (CV) through the post the old-fashioned way helps - this is what I did to get started on my career! Audencia Careers says “Marini came to Audencia as an exchange student on the MBA programme. She is not a graduate, but she is very much part of the #FRIENDS OF AUDENCIA NETWORK!”

Keep In Touch
Le 16 décembre 2016

Driving corporate strategy for Samsung

Name: Jean-François Legourd Current position: APAC strategy, Operations & Digital - Head, Samsung Electronics About my company: Consumer electronics, $184 billion, 319,000 employees Degree earned at Audencia: Master in Management 2006 Nationality: French Residence: Singapore “You can become whatever you want as long as you put your energy into it.” My work My role: I am in charge of corporate strategy for Samsung Electronics, covering the South-East Asia & Oceania region. I am also acting head of digital and media for the same region. Soft skills: The “why” skill and the “why not” skill. The “why” skill is your sense of purpose, the reason that, when everything goes banana (trust me it will), keeps you solid as a rock emotionally and professionally. Find and cherish your “why”. The “why not” skill is your daredevil attitude to jump on any meaningful project that may seem far stretch for your expertise and your bandwidth. Hard skills: I cherished my domains of expertise and tried to have 2 or 3 (acknowledged by my management). Across industries and functions, only one thing never varies: corporate finance. It is the language of every business decision. If you are going to be in non-finance roles, please study it. It is the last time you will be exposed to the domain that damages the credibility of non-finance employees. How it started: After several years in consulting on business optimization and capturing growth opportunities in Asia, I decided to explore first hand this part of the world. I chose to join a real East-Asian company to understand how they work and succeed. After Audencia and my first years of work experience, I was able to further boost my career thanks to my MBA from INSEAD. My world Culture shock: To adapt to the South Korean workplace is another dimension. I feel that survival boils down to being genuine to yourself within the limit of politeness. After a few forgivable mistakes, you are good to go. Personally I study and sometimes teach the history of my host countries to foreigners. It helped to demonstrate respect and get a bit of forgiveness when I accidentally cross an invisible boundary. Why choose an international career? I didn’t choose an international career as much as I chose to leave France. Don’t get me wrong: I love my country, its past and it’s potential. How could I get ahead of the millions while so young and inexperienced? I had to go, to learn and prove myself. I believe, by succeeding abroad and keeping in touch with the "French reality, I may be able to come back one day and contribute to the country I love the most. ☛ Be genuinely open to others’ way of working, respectful in disagreement, be aware of your own biases and don’t impose them on others. Make sure you understand, and be clear in your approach and always rational. Audencia Careers says “Jean-François’ career path has been exceptional for developing a global strategic mindset.”

Keep In Touch
Le 16 décembre 2016

Having a CFA qualification is seen as an advantage in asset management

Name: Eve Morelli Current position: Senior sustainability analyst, Zürcher Kantonalbank About my company: Banking, 5000 employees Degree earned at Audencia: Master in Management 2004 Nationality: French Residence: Zurich - Switzerland “Stay open. Things can turn out very differently from what you expect.” My work My role: I work as a Senior Sustainability Analyst, in Asset Management at the Zürcher Kantonalbank in Zürich, Switzerland. My key mission is investment recommendations for our sustainable funds. Soft skills: Curiosity Hard skills: Analytical skill and presentation My company: I work for a Swiss German bank where people are very polite and love compromises which sometimes means that taking a decision can be a long process. It was difficult to keep calm when I joined but I’ve learnt how to deal with that. How it started: The team where I work now used to be my client in a previous job. They eventually hired me. Furthermore I would recommend the CFA qualification, which is an additional asset if you want to work in the financial sector. I work in a very specific market and already had experience in this field. My world Culture shock: After some time abroad, you are never at home as a Swiss in France or as a French person in Switzerland, etc. I feel at home everywhere now! Why choose an international career? I’ve always wanted to work abroad, I like different people and cultures. An international career requires you to be open-minded, but I am rewarded as I have an interesting job and I can go skiing every weekend in the winter and swimming in the river at lunchtime in the summer.

Keep In Touch
Le 9 décembre 2016

Developing new business for biotech projects in the Middle East, North Africa and Russian markets

Name: Siddharth Akolkar Current position: Business developer and project manager, Technovation Healthcare Ltd About my company: Biopharmaceutical consulting and industrial engineering, 50-100 employees Degree earned at Audencia: IMM 10 Nationality: Indian Residence: Pune India “Always go for the experience. Money will follow automatically. Look at roles where you will learn instead of fancy job titles!” My work My role: My main responsibilities are new business development, project management and key account management for vaccine and biotech projects in the Middle East, North Africa & Russian markets. Soft skills: Team building skills/ negotiation skills. Hard skills: English and French/knowledge of vaccines, biosimilars industry, industrial engineering and MS projects. My company: Technovation Healthcare Ltd, India is a niche sector start-up. A lot of multitasking is required. A flat organisational structure is the heart of our company. We believe in learning by doing. How it started: Through the industry network in India and personal recommendations. My competitive advantage was my strong domain knowledge in a similar industry (vaccines) and my proven track record in new business development and project management. My world Culture shock: Honestly, my motivation was far too strong so I wasn’t too afraid of challenges. Fun fact: I ended up at the residential address of a Thai Government company’s CFO instead of his office address due to language barrier with the taxi driver in Bangkok! Why choose an international career? Different cultures and the complexities of working in a diverse environment were always the motivation. Siddharth's advice "You need to appreciate cultural differences. Be honest in all dealings as it is the most sought-after quality anywhere in the world. Never hesitate to talk to strangers because there is nothing like perspective building."

Keep In Touch
Le 2 décembre 2016

Finding the right time to change countries and become an expat

Name: Inesse Gannoun Current position: Financial Controller, Canal+ Sénégal About my company: Broadcasting, 7500 employees Degree earned at Audencia: GE 14 Nationality: French Residence: Dakar - Senegal “My key learning point is humility. You always need different point of views to better understand things. ” My work My role: I work as a Financial Controller for Canal+ Senegal. Mainly I am responsible for the control of financial information, managing the whole process of monthly closing of accounts and revising the subsidiary’s financial statements. I also monitor and following-up the activities: elaborating and presenting the annual budget, KPI tracking, and development of management tools. Soft skills: Adaptability/flexibility/rigour and precision/analytical spirit/communication/ sense of priority. Hard skills: Good knowledge of IT tools (Excel, SAP, Essbase, and Financial Consolidation): P&L, Balance Sheet. My company: I experienced a great “sense of family”. Many people have been working in this company for more than 15 years; the interpersonal relations exceeds the professional context. Leadership is strongly impacted by national culture, characterised by an important aspect of “respect for elders”, a particular place for men, and ongoing complex relations between black and white people. How it started: After two years of internship as a Financial Controller at L’Oreal, I wanted to experience the world of consulting and got into Accenture. I soon felt the need to go back to a more operational position and decided it was a good personal time to experiment expatriation. ☛ Move for positive reasons and your international experience will be positive. Accept the fact that it will not be easy every day. Once you have these two things clearly in mind, go! My world Culture shock: Although your life is great, both personally and professionally, you miss people and some of your habits. Fun fact: I met my future husband in Dakar. That’s a fun fact! Why choose an international career? Life is too short, the world is too big and there are too many things to see and to experiment. Audencia Careers says “Inesse also holds a degree in philosophy. Although philosophy and finance often seem totally distinct disciplines, she always manages to highlight links between the practices. It shows being open and having a complex mind-set.”

Keep In Touch
Le 25 novembre 2016

Creating opportunities between the Silicon Valley ecosystem and Orange’s business units worldwide

Name: Antonin Lapiche Current position: Senior Technology Analyst, Orange Silicon Valley - San Francisco, USA About my company: Telecommunication, €43.5 billion revenue, >40 employees in Silicon Valley Degree earned at Audencia: GE 13 Nationality: French Residence: San Francisco - USA “Don’t limit yourself to what you know. Always learn, build your network, be bold and it will pay off. The world is a big place with opportunities are everywhere.” My work My role: As a tech analyst my job is to detect and evaluate trends in behaviours, technologies, services and products in order to create business opportunities between the local Silicon Valley ecosystem and Orange’s business units across the globe. Soft skills: the ability to process and synthesise information, excellent communication skills, leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, empathy Hard skills: quantitative analysis, writing code, strategic/analytical thinking, tech background My company: French leadership in an American shell. Entrepreneurial venture reporting to a 170K employees company. Silicon Valley is where everything in tech is happening. How all began: My competitive advantage was my expert knowledge of the telco industry. I had a track record of business success along with my dual tech/business background, and fluency in French. Originally I built on my own network, but it is useful to join to meetup.com as well to find any relevant professional networking group, and I highly recommend LinkedIn. My world Culture shock: The main challenge to work in the US to get visa. Working for French companies based outside of France can be a pathway to getting the necessary authorisations. It is important to demonstrate what the added value is in hiring you. The intern visa J 1 is very helpful and allows you to work for a year. Fun fact: Positive surprise - Even though I work for a French company, risk and hard work is rewarded. French companies are usually risk-averse with high levels of hierarchy and office politics, whereas the American companies are open for risk. Why choose an international career? There are better work opportunities in the USA, both in terms of mission and compensation packages. Audencia Careers says "Antonin’s story is a very good example of audacity. In spite of the difficulties in obtaining an American visa, he believed in what truly interested him and was bold enough to make it happen."

Keep In Touch
Le 18 novembre 2016

Working with NGOs to gain valuable experience for future recruitment in field positions

Name: Laetitia Beuscher Current position: Senior Stabilisation Liaison & Coordination Officer, United Nations About my company: International affairs, 10,001+ employees Degree earned at Audencia: GE 02 Nationality: French Residence: Kinshasa - Congo “Stay connected to your home country when most of your life happens elsewhere. The key for this is to contact as much as possible, return often and remember that if life is changing for you while living abroad, life is also changing for those left at home. These changes may be less visible but are not less meaningful.” My work My role: Liaison and coordination of Stabilisation efforts in DRC with key interlocators based in Kinshasa: the donor community, the national government, the heads of the UN country team (Funds and agencies) and with MONUSCO Kinshasa-based sections while the Stabilisation programme is implemented in the Eastern part of the country. Soft skills: Open-minded/good team player/drive for results/ability to propose alternative ways to reach the same results / adapt easily to different audiences and protocols as well as to different nationalities and cultures/be very flexible, read between lines and be very patient. Hard skills: Stabilisation programming / conflict resolution/peace building and UN system, including programme framework and support to the government/good understanding of the difference between humanitarian, development and Stabilisation programming and principles are key. How it started: After Audencia, when I decided to join the UN, I looked at what was missing in my resume from a UN perspective. I decided to first gain a field experience with NGOs (which was an easy access as I was not looking for long-term commitment nor had high salary expectation) and then to go back to school to get an MA in international relations. Once my MA was obtained I returned to NGOs where I knew my experience could be an added value for future recruitment for field positions. I developed solid relations with UN organisation hiring managers. My world Culture shock: To balance personal and professional life. When you change locations every two years it may become challenging to identify where you live. Things may just happen a bit later than for your fellow classmates. Fun fact: Local expressions are always a fun part of the journey in every country. Why choose an international career? Because I love travelling but also because when I decided to start working abroad I found the opportunities in France to be limited. Laetitia's advice "The top websites to be recommended: Inspira.un.org; unjobs.org and specific organisation websites such as unicef.org"

Keep In Touch
Le 4 novembre 2016

Showcasing hybrid skills in engineering and management

Name: Antoine Riboulon Current position: Project Development Associate, Commercial Sales Support, SolarCity Corp About my company: Green energy 10,001+ employees Degree earned at Audencia: MSc Management-Engineering 13 Nationality: French Residence: San Francisco - USA “Know yourself, know what you’re worth, know what you want and make it happen. Never take “no” as a final answer. Everyone admires smart perseverance (not stubbornness): it means you’re driven by something.” My work My role: Project Development Associate, Commercial Sales Support. Soft skills: Attention to details/teamwork/ curiosity/willingness to learn/personal initiative. Hard skills: Accounting/finance/business/ economics/engineering/mathematics/data analysis in Excel. My company: SolarCity is a full-service solar provider. Most sales support teams are composed of recent graduates from top US universities. There is a strong sales culture for solving global energy issues (global warming and dependence to oil and gas). How it started: Via the Stanford University network and previous internships in renewable industry (wind in Germany, energy efficiency in China and storage in California). My world I had to change from a very French curriculum (Engineering/Management dual degree Audencia ECN) to an international one with the help of the directors of both institutions. It's hard to get internship in the US without any contact there: there is high competition for summer internships in the US, therefore I tried one that started in January. The J1 type of visa helps as it serves as a bridge to permanent contracts. Generally, HR practitioners do not have any information about the visa types, unless they work for a global multinational company. Additionally, I have tried to find the hiring managers contacts in the ads, otherwise it is almost impossible to find an internship.

Keep In Touch
Le 28 octobre 2016

Adding professional certifications to academic qualifications

Name: Camille Miquelez de Mendiluce Current Position: Business Development Manager, Ellisphere About my company: Information Services, €45 million, 201-500 employees Degree studied at Audencia: Exchange student IMM 09 Nationality: French Residence: France “When liaising with international colleagues you need to adapt to their culture rather than imposing yours.” My work My role: I am currently a Business Development Manager in France as part of the sales department, selling financial and legal information. I have been working for several years overseas as a Key Account Manager and a Marketing Manager for an engineering and real estate business. Before that, I have undertaken internships in the United States in the luxury business and music industry. Soft skills: Active listening/resilience/ curiosity/dynamism. Hard skills: Business acumen. How it started: I am graduated in International Management from three different countries: France, Spain and the UK. After my master degree I obtained several certifications in personal data protection and in new information and communication technologies. Resilience was the key to understanding the challenges that small and large enterprises have nowadays. Understanding the company’s core business and values was also fundamental. Why choose an international career? Liaising with international companies and people is a springboard for developing personal and professional skills. Understand new ways of working and open doors to new work opportunities, cooperating with high quality managers. Beginning a work experience period in a foreign country is not always easy, but with hard work and determination, you will reach your objectives.

Keep In Touch
Le 21 octobre 2016

Taking up an internal mobility opportunity to move from Paris to Singapore within the same company

Name: Xuehua Cao Current position: Business Analyst, United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) About my company: Banking, 10,001+ employees Degree earned at Audencia: GE 15 Nationality: Chinese Residence: Singapore “Cultural differences do exist, but you can overcome for them by bringing your own value to the new group.” My work My role: Business Analyst/Investment Bank Operation Group, working on the new project of rolling out all securities to Murex V3. Hard skills: Financial Knowledge (Bonds, Derivatives)/Murex V3 experience. My company: In Paris, my work was more general, but in Singapore the projects are outsourced and I am in a higher position. How it started: I have related experience with Murex V3, solid knowledge of financial products and an engineer-finance double degree. I got this internship thanks to the engineer & finance background. It is always good to know some CS skills to find an internship. I utilised efinancial careers, Monster and LinkedIn, plus the Audencia website. My world Culture shock: Co-workers had special habits in Paris, communicating differently. I felt I would not able to provide any help in exchange for their support. Why choose an international career? Because I like to experience more and see the differences, and wanted to enhance my advantages in proper places. Xuehua's advice "Looking for a job is a good opportunity to learn. Don’t be scared by the experience requirements (three years or five years, it doesn’t matter). I got a job which requests five years+ experience with only one year’s experience. Build your own network. It’s really important to start preparing once you join a business school."

Keep In Touch
Le 14 octobre 2016

Moving up through the ranks from intern in 1995 to managing director today

Name: Olivier Héroguelle Current position: Managing Director, JCDecaux About my company: Outdoor advertising, €3,208 million, 12,300 people Degree earned at Audencia: GE 95 Nationality: French Residence: New Delhi - India “What I value most about my international career is the management aspect: variety of profiles, personalities, cultures and languages.” My work My role: As a Managing Director I am in charge of business development (converting high potential into opportunities), sales and marketing (maximising the advertising revenue & education of an emerging market), operations (provide worldwide standard services in a very challenging environment), finance (cost controls & improvement of the profitability), and HR (Recruit & train local managers for the long term). Soft skills: Management skills/organisation skills/good sense of the priorities. Hard skills: Sales expert/business development. My company: Family-owned company – family very much involved. Culture of hard work and excellence. How it started: I completed two internships in JCDecaux sales department and was offered a place on the sales team at the end of my studies. I followed my career within the same group. My world Fun fact: In India, during a meeting, everyone wants to talk and give opinions; the difficulty is to keep focused. In Thailand (I was the Managing Director of JCDecaux Thailand previously), it is the exact opposite. Everyone remains completely quiet and would die rather than give a point of view. The type of management needs to be permanently adjusted according to the situation, the people and the subject. Adaptability is key. Why choose an international career? As a career booster it has enabled me to reach a Managing Director position which was not possible in the same organization in France. ☛ My key learning point is the management of human resources. Audencia Careers says "Within a family-owned enterprise through an international career and hard-work, Olivier has managed to become the managing director in India."

Keep In Touch
Le 16 septembre 2016

Showcasing soft skills to make the difference

Name: Cécile Tondriaux Current position: Sales representative, Hasbro About my company: Consumer Goods, $26.7 million, 5001—10,000 employees Degree earned at Audencia: GE 14 Nationality: French Residence: Santiago - Chile “Whenever you think there is only one way of achieving a goal, there are always hundreds more ways!” My work My role: I am in charge of the strategic development of 8 key retailer clients. This includes planning nation-wide brand activities, monitoring sales performance and negotiating business development plans. Soft skills: Listening skills/understanding the real needs of the clients/analytical skills and being consistent and convincing. My company: Hasbro is a very collaborative and international company with an excellent work-life balance. Team spirit and innovation are key values of the firm. The Hasbro Chilean team is young, very proactive and fully dedicated to the company. How it started: Arriving in Chile, I first worked as a business-developer at Planet Expat, a hiring consultant start-up which helps students find an internship or a first job abroad. Eventually Michael Page connected me with Hasbro. My advantage: I brought a different perspective and vision of the toy market through my European background. I have worked in two different countries, speak three languages previous experience in business-development. Recommended: LinkedIn, Trabajando.com, Laborum.cl My world Culture shock: My lack of knowledge of the Chilean business market was compensated by bringing new ideas of oversees experience. Working in a different language can be challenging in terms of negotiations. E. g.: the French are more direct than Chileans. Fun fact: In a tough meeting to sign off the annual commercial plan the negotiation got tense and I said a Spanish word which did not exist! Everybody burst out laughing and calmed down! Do not be afraid of making mistakes in the language. Use your initiative! Why choose an international career? Everyday I learn a new thing about Chile or its business. I have an inspiring position and my colleagues are my friends. Audencia Careers says “Being part of a start-up is all about being willing to grow with the project and the company as an adventure.”

Keep In Touch
Le 9 septembre 2016

Joining the HRPA if you want to work in Human Resources

Name: Ziyi Wang Current position: Senior HR Planning Advisor, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada About my company: 5,000 employees Degree earned at Audencia: IMM 06 Nationality: Chinese Residence: Ottawa - Canada “My aim is to present a clear identity as a person who has a strong Chinese cultural background but is also very open-minded. I expect my colleagues to accept and respect that.” My work My role: Senior Human Resources Planning Advisor for the Federal Government of Canada, in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in Ottawa. My role is related to HR Planning. I provide advice for managers/ directors in completing the HR Plans for their units and people management strategies, also contributing to the succession planning framework. Soft skills: Ability to collaborate with clients/HR disciplines in order to provide other integrated services to clients/promote the understanding of HR’s added value to clients. Hard skills: Ability to do integrated HR planning/understand clients’ business lines and challenges/ability to develop tools and guidelines in terms of HR planning. My company: Because of the nature of our business, we focus more on how to continuously improve our services to Canadians. How it started: Once I realised my interest was in people management, I only applied for jobs in HR. I’ve worked all the way up from HR Assistant, to Senior HR Advisor. My world Culture shock: I find Quebec French is very different from Parisian French. It took me a long time to adjust to it. Why choose an international career? I immigrated to Canada in 2002, even before I attended Audencia. That’s why I stayed in Canada after I graduated. In a different cultural environment it is important to observe more and judge less. My organisation utilises the online recruitment system for attracting international talents. It is http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/. The Government of Canada website: https://www.canada.ca/en/index.html. Ziyi's advice "If you know what your dream job would be, stay focused and only look for those positions that can lead you to fulfil your dreams. For students who want to work in human resources, I recommend joining the HRPA (Human Resources Professionals Association)."

Keep In Touch
Le 2 septembre 2016

Being successful in a 90% male working environment

Name: Claudia Arezio Ricardo Current position: Engagement Manager Mediterranean Region – Experienced Solutions Architect Degree earned at Audencia: MBA 11 Other degrees: MSc. Computer Science Networks, Bachelor Computer Engineering Nationality: Brazilian Residence: Lisbon - Portugal Describe your professional path: I remember the first time I saw a computer at the age of 8 at a friend´s house. It played the national anthem and drew a coloured flag that could also dance on the screen. I didn’t have the chance to own a computer myself so I as soon as I could, eight years later, I joined the Data Processing Technical School at Universidade Federal do Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil. Many loads of data later, in 2001, I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from PUC/PR, Brazil and started a career the Telecom industry. I was selected as a trainee for Alcatel Telecommunications that same year. I remember taking the job because it involved global travel. The dream transformed into a career. Most of my professional path has been in the Telecom industry within different companies and locations which pretty much reflect the dynamics of this industry. In 2005, I left Alcatel-Lucent to move to Siemens then in 2008 I left Nokia-Siemens to join Ericsson. After 8 years and many different addresses later I’m still at Ericsson a market leader that allows professionals to build their career in a gender-equal environment. In April 2010, my application to Audencia’s international MBA programme was approved and supported by a scholarship from Thales. That very same day I received the news that I was pregnant. A year later I had a 3 month old baby boy in one arm and a pile of studied books and articles in the other. In September 2011, I completed my thesis on Change Management. I think it took a lot of courage to manage becoming a mother at the same time as following a very intensive full-time MBA programme. Looking back, I think it was about being humble enough to accept all the support possible - from family and from colleagues who become friends - and also to accept not achieving perfect results but ones that were good enough. This was a juggling act that allowed me to move forwards. Passions I am person of many passions: my family & friends, music, arts, reading, travelling and enjoying a good running track. Your most memorable experience at Audencia All in all, I only have good and memorable experiences at Audencia. I remember the day I arrived, 2 days after induction day. Everyone, staff, professors and students, have welcomed me so well that even without speaking much French, I felt at home. I remember the exam periods and the hours spent in the library as well as the discussions which took place within the most diverse group of nationalities I have ever encountered and which I learnt to respect deeply. I remember André Sobczak’s classes and his enthusiastic speech that influenced us all. And I also remember the day I brought my son to the class and everyone held their breath so as not to wake him up. It was certainly much more than state-of-art business skills and expertise that I acquired at Audencia! What is your advice to students looking to work in your field My field of work requires advanced technical expertise associated with business responsiveness. Working long hours in the technology environment can remove you from the realities of dealing with basic human needs such as person to person communication – speaking and listening - which is a skill requiring lots of energy. My advice to students looking to work in any field is to enhance their communication skills. How do you stay in touch with your friends at Audencia I have to admit I stay less in touch with my friends at Audencia than I would like to. But we are all connected on social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn and we celebrate every news we get: a promotion, a new baby, a marriage. Five years have flown by very fast and a reunion is planned sometime in the future but may not happen because everyone is busy – as expected. ´Saudades´ is a word in Portuguese that reflects the feeling of missing friends and situations where one has been very happy. I am sure I will always have ‘saudades’ from my MBA class and 2011 classmates.

Keep In Touch
Le 26 août 2016

Entering a company as an intern before being offered a more challenging role

Name: Varsha Manjunatha Current position: Terminal Manager, Katoen Natie Degree earned at Audencia: MSCPM 12 Other degrees: Bachelor of Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management (2011), Visvesvaraya Technological University, India Nationality: Indian Residence: Houston - USA “When I graduated from the MSCPM programme with Audencia and MIP Politecnico di Milano, I had no work experience since I had gone on to pursue higher education, so I had to start as a trainee. After three months [as a trainee], I was offered a more challenging role.” Professional path Varsha works as a terminal manager at Katoen Natie, a global logistics and distribution service provider based in Belgium. She loves her company and has been with them since she graduated from Audencia Business School in 2012. Katoen Natie has given Varsha the flexibility to define her own professional path. Varsha has worked in logistics in the fields of e-commerce, fashion goods, healthcare, pharma and chemicals. She also moved from Europe to the US, and Katoen Natie has continued to provide the opportunities she needs to reach her professional goals. “They’ve given me incredible opportunities and flexibility. I can take myself wherever I like.” Varsha is currently in the field of operations and management for Katoen Natie and would like to advance within the company in the US. It’s clear that Varsha loves a challenge. Right now, she follows up with operations, conducts analyses, draws up plans for improvement, writes reports and communicates through the hierarchies of the organisation. “The international dimension of my programme at Audencia and MIP has helped a lot.” Varsha also plans to pursue her MBA. Passions Varsha loves to travel and explore the country in her free time. Most memorable experience at Audencia Before Varsha began at Audencia, she’d never been abroad. She was hesitant because of the language barrier. “It was a huge change for me. At first, I cried. But now I cry whenever I have to go home!” she laughs. Varsha says that studying at Audencia helped her learn what she really wanted to achieve – and gave her the confidence to do it. Varsha’s time at Audencia also enriched her personal life. For example, her French host family recently flew all the way from Nantes to India for her wedding – along with friends from the US, London, Belgium, Serbia and more. “I am glad I made the decision to attend Audencia. The richness of my memories is incredible.” Advice to international students looking to work abroad Varsha feels very strongly about pursuing one’s goals: “Just go ahead and do it!” She knows first-hand that it can be frightening. “Language can be a barrier, but you can lean on your strengths while working on your weaknesses. Don’t think about what is going to happen or what is not. Just try!” Staying in touch with Audencia Varsha stays in touch with friends from Audencia via social media, noting, “My time in Europe was one of the best times of my life.”

Keep In Touch
Le 19 juillet 2016

Compléter sa formation d'ingénieur par un MS en design

Nom: Vincent Berdillon Fonction actuelle: Expert User Centered Design, Graphic Identité & Co Diplôme Audencia: MDC 10 Nationalité: Française Résidence: Vincent Berdillon nous raconte son parcours Decouvrez son portrait ici

Keep In Touch
Le 19 juillet 2016

Mon MS à Audencia m'a permis de découvrir la fonction de chef de projet

Nom: Benoit Viallon Fonction actuelle: Internation Group Manager, L'OREAL Diplôme Audencia: MDC 07 Nationalité: Française Benoit Viallon nous raconte son parcours Decouvrez son portrait ici

Keep In Touch
Le 19 juillet 2016

Des compétences en ingénierie, design et marketing au service de projets innovants

Nom: Solene Dargaud Fonction actuelle: Designer couleurs et matières, DS Automobiles - PSA Peugeot Citroën Diplôme Audencia: MDC 16 Nationalité: Française Résidence: France Solène Dargaud nous raconte son parcours Decouvrez son portrait ici

Keep In Touch
Le 26 juin 2016

Working for an international consultancy company but based at Citi Group

Name: Antonio Bejarano Current position: Sourcing Manager, Accenture Degree earned at Audencia: MSCPM 13 Other degrees: Bachelor in Industrial Engineering (2004) and Production Management Specialty (2005), Universidad Panamericana Nationality: Mexican Residence: Mexico City - Mexico Describe your professional path Antonio started working in sourcing at the beginning of his career, even before he graduated in Industrial Engineering. From the growing automotive business, passing through the FCMG world and now in the Consulting industry, Antonio has 10 years’ of professional experience. Antonio is currently working for an international consultancy company but based at Citi Group where he leads the strategic sourcing projects for Advertising & Marketing. He is in charge of finding opportunities, understanding the baseline and details of the expense, developing the strategy along with the internal stakeholders and ultimately running the RFx process (sometimes including e-auctions) to allocate the business to the most competitive candidates and reflect Terms, Conditions, deliverables and SLAs in a long term contract. Passions One of Antonio's favourite hobbies is photography. He takes his camera with him everywhere. Antonio also enjoys making new friends; he considers himself to be very open-minded and believes that friends can help you solve any small or big problem you are facing and are a key element of success. Last but not least Antonio likes music because every big event in his life is filled with music. “I think I can relate every member of my family and friends to a specific song and keep it in my subconscious.” Each time he hears a song, it reminds him of the people who have been important to him. Your most memorable experience at Audencia For Antonio, Audencia was a once-in-a-lifetime experience from the very first time he entered the school. “But if I have to mention just one I would say the WEI trip [Dune du Pilat, Arcachon Bay, paintball, camping, vineyard, etc], which helped me to connect with so many other students of different programs and know their dreams, understand their passions and even collaborate with them.” Antonio is proud of his network which reaches to all four corners of the world.