50 years of gender diversity
The HEC community continues to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the school to women by publishing on this March 8, International Women's Rights Day, a series of portraits of female graduates whose commitment and exemplary success have had a positive impact on society. Let’s have a look at both the road travelled and the challenges that remain in our journey towards gender equality. Find out more.
- Maïlys Cantzler (H.00)
- Yasmine Samdi (H.25)
- Nathalie Gaveau (H.99)
- Lou Adler (H.24)
- Jennifer Maumont (H.98)
- Thandiwe Mkhetshane (MBA.23)
- Julie Joly (H.97)
- Emma Freyd (H.22)
- Marie Schott (H.96)
- Maryse Lokossou (EMBA.21)
- Agnès Pannier-Runacher (H.95)
- Anne-Fleur Goll (H.20)
- Nadia Fettah (H.94)
- Teejana Beenessreesingh (MBA.19)
- Meka Brunel (EMBA.93)
- Donatella Ponziani (EMBA.18)
- Laurence Debroux (H.92)
- Charlotte Mauviot (H.17)
- Caroline Puechoultres (H.91)
- Mona Levacher (H.16)
- Nathalie Toulza Madar (H.90)
- Emilie Korchia (H.15)
- Rachel Picard (H.89)
- Anne-Claire Berg (H.14)
- Valérie Precresse (H.88)
- Marguerite Cazeneuve (H.13)
- Claire Pedini (H.87)
- Cecilia Weckstrom (T.12)
- Christel Bories (H.86)
- Fatma Chouaieb (H.11)
- Valérie Hermann (H.85)
- Laurence Rigolini (H.10)
- Hedwige Chevrillon (H.84)
- Emilie Gobin Mignot (H.09)
- Fidji Simo (H.08)
- Christine Roger (H.83)
- Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin (H.82)
- Edwige Ravry (H.07)
- Sylvie Lemmet (H.81)
- Claire Calmejane (H.06)
- Hortense de Roux (H.05)
- Sophie Javary (H.80)
- Christine Vial Kayser (H.79)
- Françoise Remarck (E.04)
- Nathalie Rachou (H.78)
- Delphine Inesta (H.03)
- Andrée Aubert-Theisen (H.77)
- Sabrina Herlory-Rouget (H.02)
- Nicole Arditti (H.76)
- Hiba Farès (H.01)
Maïlys Cantzler (H.00)
We have one life, should it serve others. Otherwise, our presence on earth will have been useless.
Born in 1975 and mother of two boys, Maïlys Cantzler graduated from HEC in 2000. She embarked on entrepreneurship with an e-commerce start-up and founded in 2003 Crèche Attitude, a group of private daycare centers she has run for ten years (100 centers and 1,200 jobs created) before selling the company. Since 2014 Maïlys has been President of the solidarity group Homnia, which creates inclusive housing for people with a disability, a project she initiated for her brain-damaged sister Sabrina. At the same time, she coaches and provides financial support to entrepreneurs in different areas. Maïlys vocation is to build economic models in the social and health sectors that combine an objective of social utility and economic efficiency to ensure sustainability and the capacity for development and spin-off.
Contribution to HEC: Let me break it down:
Pre-HEC : capacity of work, motivation & focus.
During HEC : educational content, fun, opportunities.
Post-HEC : credibility, credence, network, community.
Yasmine Samdi (H.25)
Ambition and motivation are the only keys, we can all “dare” in the same way.
Yasmine Samdi is pursuing her second year at HEC Paris and will graduate in 2025. As soon as she joined HEC after the preparatory classes, she wanted to make the most of its campus life. She is the HEC President of the student club "Duo Conseil X-HEC", a student consulting firm comprising HEC and Ecole Polytechnique students. This activity allows her to work with a diverse team and manage multiple consulting projects for corporate customers while closely related to major consulting firms. Yasmine is particularly proud of having a perfectly gender-balanced club board and recruits from HEC. She strongly believes that ambition and motivation are the keys to making it happen, and she hopes to achieve this equality in the workplace.
Contribution to HEC: HEC gives us the opportunity to take important leading positions in clubs and shape our skills. Being a girl have never been an obstacle or even a question, as we can all “dare” in the same way.
Nathalie Gaveau (H.99)
A serial and successful entrepreneur convinced that mindset is everything.
Considered one of the top females in technology in Europe, Nathalie Gaveau (H99) is a serial entrepreneur, investor and board member. She started in M&A at Lazard before co-founding PriceMinister, a leading e-commerce marketplace, subsequently acquired by Rakuten. She also founded Shopcade, the social marketplace and data platform that was sold to Lagardère. Nathalie is the President of Tailwind International and has an extensive international experience, including six years in Asia Pacific. She sits on global software and FMCG business boards, including Lightspeed Commerce (LSPD) and Coca-Cola EuroPacific Partners (CCEP), and advises leadership teams on technology and ESG business transformation. Together with her husband Mathieu Gaveau (H98), she is a Major benefactor of the HEC Foundation and an active venture investor.
Contribution to HEC: HEC opened opportunities I would never have imagined possible. I discovered my passion for entrepreneurship and my inner strengths. I also met my husband, friends for life and co-founders!
Lou Adler (H.24)
Where there is a will, there is a way.
Since she was a little girl, Lou Adler has been passionate about sports. Lou built her academic curriculum to fit her tennis project; from the 'sport-etudes' high school and online studies, through a stay in a Californian university till her entry last year to HEC to achieve a master's degree in management. She evolved in the professional tennis circuit for four years, reaching the 30th French ranking and the 535th worldwide. Sport has taught Lou everything that she aspires to give back. She created Virtus last year to promote social, economic and environmental inclusion through sport. Lou has just graduated from the "Design Innovation Project" Masters and is now CSR Manager at Tecnifibre (Lacoste group).
Contribution to HEC: All the knowledge and skills I need to start my professional career with, an impressive network in the sport field and beyond, great friends... But also confidence: I learnt to dare!
Jennifer Maumont (H.98)
An authentic personality challenging the fashion industry to become more sustainable.
Jennifer Maumont started in strategy consulting in London before becoming Chief of Staff to the CEO of Dior, then Marketing Director for leather goods. Born in a family of entrepreneurs, Jennifer created her first company, a fast fashion footwear start-up, in 2007, and sold it in 2014 before leaving everything to go on a one-year-long trip around the world with her family. Aware the time of the devastating impact of fast fashion, she founded the sustainable and slow fashion brand JULES & JENN on her return. She embarked her husband with her on the adventure and settled in Barcelona with her two children. With 70 people working for the brand today, both in-house and in partner workshops, JULES & JENN allows Jennifer to combine meaningful business and quality of life.
Contribution to HEC: I believe the HEC degree will allow me to always land on my feet whatever my professional choices are. As an entrepreneur, the community opens doors and the degree reassures partners.
Thandiwe Mkhetshane (MBA.23)
Embrace your uniqueness. You are different and that's your superpower.
She is originally from Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a Chartered Accountant by profession, with experience in the financial services sector. She has just graduated from the HEC Paris MBA, class of 2023. She is passionate about fashion and sports. She is also a fashion designer and an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Contribution to HEC: I was the President of the Africa Club and an Advisor to the Women in Leadership Club. The HEC Paris community has contributed enormously to my professional and social networks. This includes opportunities to connect with business leaders from different parts of the world and see the world from a different perspective. I look forward to being part of the Alumni community after my MBA.
Julie Joly (H.97)
Behind everyone and every situation lies a story. I am eager to learn what they tell us to find my own.
With curiosity and openness as her core values, Julie Joly did her first internships in publishing, banking and humanitarian work. A correspondent in Frankfurt for La Tribune in 1998, she joined L'Express in 1999 - in the Economics and Politics departments, then as deputy editor of the Society pages. In 2012, she became director of the Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ). In 2016, she created - and headed - the W School, the first graduate school dedicated to new narratives. She also became a member of the Ethics Committee of Radio France, an independent member of the Supervisory Board of Les Echos, a director of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles and a member of the Board of Directors of Reporters Without Borders. Since January 2022, she has been CEO of L'Obs.
Contribution to HEC: The HEC curriculum, including the preparatory classes, has put the desire to learn, strive and transmit at the heart of my engagement. The world of journalism has been a natural extension of this.
Emma Freyd (H.22)
Sailing across the ocean made her realize the freedom that she has: to be the captain of her life.
Born in Paris, Emma Freyd grew up in Saint-Denis (93). After two years of preparatory classes at Henri IV, Paris, she joined HEC Paris in 2018. Along with her studies, Emma completed a degree in Philosophy at La Sorbonne University. In 2020, Emma decided to take a first gap year to work in consulting and corporate finance. Frustrated by the pandemic, Emma decided to travel alongside a friend. United by their friendship and a passion for sailing, they bought a boat, fixed it for seven months, and finally left France for a Tour around the Atlantic Ocean. They travelled for a year, visiting 15 countries and crossing twice the ocean. Since returning, Emma has been working on her professional career in the X-HEC Entrepreneurs Masters, launching her own business to enhance the market of the energetic renovation for households.
Contribution to HEC: HEC made me feel that everything was possible, regardless of your background. The Foundation helped me by financing my studies and provided me with a mentor to guide me in my professional path. This encounter enables me to access the network and understand how it works
Marie Schott (H.96)
Let go of the weight to find your strength.
The first part of Marie Schott's professional life was predictable: 6 years in consulting, a first experience in retail in 2002, an entrepreneurial adventure with the creation of Undiz, and in 2011, the "Graal": a position as the CEO of Etam, and two board mandates. 1996-2017: 22 years that flew. Throughout her journey, Marie had lots of opportunities but lots of pressure and little questioning, which led her to resign suddenly in 2017 with no plan in mind. Marie needed a break to prove to herself and the world that she was not an imposter. Six years later, she is the Founder and CEO of Anashaf, a DtoC lingerie brand and appointed the CEO of the Kooples, working with an incredible team at the turnaround of an iconic brand. Still passionate, but much lighter and finally free!
Contribution to HEC: At HEC, Marie started to think that everything was possible. We are not talking about ambition here, but about self-confidence which lets you do big (and small) things with serenity.
Maryse Lokossou (EMBA.21)
Tackling challenges ahead in a sustainable way and preparing the next generation of leaders.
Maryse Lokossou has a rich professional career spanning over 17 years in Banking & Finance in France, within groups as BNP PARIBAS and SOCIETE GENERALE. She returned to her native country Benin in 2017, where she served for 3 years as Technical Advisor to the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of International financing and Sovereign rating. Since November 2020, she has been serving as the Chief of Staff to the President at the West African Development Bank (BOAD). Identified and ranked in 2022 Choiseul 100 Africa, Maryse was nominated in 2021 among the Hundred Young Leaders of the French African Foundation, sponsored by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Macky Sall. In 2020, she was decorated with the rank of Officer of the National Order of Merit of Benin Republic.
Contribution to HEC: The HEC Paris Executive MBA utterly reshaped my life priorities with confidence, method on missions with impact. After graduating, I joined the WAEMU Regional DFI (BOAD).
Agnès Pannier-Runacher (H.95)
Feminist and committed, she never uses the easy way to reach her objectives and solve crises.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher has been appointed Minister for Energy transition in May 2022. She was appointed Deputy Minister to the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, between October 2018 and July 2022 and then Minister Delegate for Industry between July 2020 and May 2022. Before joining the Government in 2018, she was Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Compagnie des Alpes (2013-18), a leading listed player in the European leisure industry. Agnès was Customer Business Unit Director at Faurecia Interior Systems (2011-13), Executive Director at Fonds stratégique d’investissement (2009-11), Deputy Director of Finance and Strategy at Caisse des Dépôts (2006-08) and chief of staff at APHP (Paris Hospitals, 2003-06). She graduated from HEC and ENA. She holds CEMS Master’s degreee (HEC-Köln--Universität).
Contribution to HEC: HEC is both a key moment in my career, during which I learned a lot (a method, a rigor, an openness to the world, sports & theater) and an incredible community that accompanies me over the years.
Anne-Fleur Goll (H.20)
Climate consultant and activist for the integration of planetary boundaries into the economy.
Faced with of planetary limits overshoot, Anne-Fleur Goll spoke at her graduation in June 2022 to call on everyone to take responsibility as an HEC graduate and to play a leading role in the necessary transformation of our economic system. Among the possible means of action (non-exclusive and modifiable in time): are desertion, activism, research, and changing companies from within. As a climate consultant in the financial sector, she uses the doors opened by this position to push banks and investors in to transform their activities with the radicality imposed by the current climate situation in an uncompromising and constructive approach.
Contribution to HEC: HEC gave me confidence in my understanding of the world and in my legitimacy to speak up. This degree opens all the doors and conversations, it's up to us to use them correctly.
Nadia Fettah (H.94)
An Arab and African Woman committed to shaping the future in Morocco with boldness and enthusiasm.
After an outstanding career in the private sector, Nadia Fettah is the first woman to hold the Ministerial post of Economy and Finance in Morocco. Graduate of HEC in 1994, Nadia began her career in a global audit group and then pursued an entrepreneurial experience in private equity in the early 2000s. She subsequently joined the pan-African group Saham in 2005, where she had a very successful professional journey becoming Deputy Managing Director of Sanlam Pan Africa. Nadia managed many complex merger and acquisition operations within a network of more than 26 countries. In 2019, Nadia joined the government of His Majesty The King Mohammed VI as Minister of Tourism of Morocco, and since 2022, she has been the Minister of Economy and Finance. Nadia Fettah is a founding member of the "Moroccan Women Directors" Club and a member of the "Women Corporate Directors" network.
Contribution to HEC: HEC provided me access to the room. Afterwards, it's about taking your place around the table and making your voice heard, assuming your female leadership!
Teejana Beenessreesingh (MBA.19)
Never say no when an opportunity arises, try again when a door shuts. Nothing is impossible in the end!
Teejana Beenessreesingh sits on the Executive Committee of Bottega Veneta (Kering), where she leads worldwide Business Development and is the Chief of Staff to the CEO. Previously, Teejana was a Senior Strategy Consultant in the Retail and Luxury industries at Bain & Company. She also worked at Cartier as a strategic member of the Global Marketing team for iconic collections. Teejana was also an Investment Banker at UBS and held diverse roles in hedge funds in New York. Born in Mauritius, she founded a social enterprise combining travel with curated global shopping experiences from emerging artisans and designers. She graduated with an MBA from HEC Paris and a BS in Management Science and Economics from MIT. Teejana is an avid traveller passionate about supporting women's advancement to senior executive seats.
Contribution to HEC: At HEC, listening to mentors from the alumni network with diverse mindsets have helped me become a better leader and secure key relationships, as well as pursue my passions and drive social change.
Meka Brunel (EMBA.93)
A combatant for a low-carbon and inclusive city for all these inhabitants.
Meka Brunel is from Iran, and she is an ETP engineer who holds an Exec MBA HEC. She is a fellow of RICS and was, for 42 years, an actor in the city in all its meanings. From the beginning as general manager of Gecina, through the European Presidency of Ivanhoe Cambridge (CDPQ), she has managed, organized and trained multidisciplinary teams in Europe through strategies she proposed and implemented. Committed to ESG values, Meka worked in particular on Gecina's anticipated decarbonization trajectory (2030) and the feminization of the company (5 times number one in the SBF 120 feminization index during her 5-year mandate), two times Pierre d'Or of the Professional of the Year and Knight of the Legion of Honor. Meka is married, a mother of 3 children and a grandmother of 7 grandchildren.
Contribution to HEC: Three things: to be open minded towards other industries and issues; understanding of the transversality of functions; the force of a network.
Donatella Ponziani (EMBA.18)
Build your career on solid expertise, be curious, focused, and resilient. It will make you unique!
Donatella Ponziani is currently heading the ESA Commercialisation Gateway. She joined ESA in 2007 as a project manager in Ariane 5 programme and she occupied since then several positions. Before then, she worked for the French Space Agency, the Italian Center of Aerospace Research and has held research fellow and teaching positions at the KTH in Stockholm and at the School of Mechanical Engineering in Rome. Graduated in Mathematics from the University of Rome, where she also obtained a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2000, leading successful research which granted her the honor to be decorated by the President of the Italian Republic with the title of Officer of the Order of Merit. In 2018 she completed the HEC Paris EMBA, where she ranked top of the graduating cohort, and she was awarded the Price of Best Capstone.
Contribution to HEC: I have been working as a rocket scientist for more than a decade with a strong technical background. The HEC EMBA was for me a real game changer allowing me to move from technical expertise to more strategic roles.
Laurence Debroux (H.92)
Blessed in her journey by strong and supportive friendship with inspirational women.
Major d‘entrée and 1992 Grande Ecole graduate, Laurence Debroux started her career in investment banking in London. In 1994, she joined Elf Aquitaine, then in a privatization process, and transferred to its Pharmaceutical activity, Sanofi, in 1997, where she stayed until 2010 as Treasury Director, CFO and Chief Strategic Officer before leaving to become head of Finance and Administration at JCDecaux. In 2015, Laurence moved to Amsterdam to become Executive Board member and CFO of The Heineken Group. Since 2021, I have she has embarked on the next phase in her journey, combining non-Executive Board roles, including at Novo Nordisk, Exor, Kite Insights and HEC, with mentoring activities and studying philosophy, in particular Spinoza and European 17th century. In 2010, she was awarded the Prix Trajectoires, HEC Au Féminin.
Charlotte Mauviot (H.17)
Dare the exceptional, experiment continuously, nurture and share talents.
Endowed with an insatiable curiosity, a love of adventure and talent growth, Charlotte lives several parallel lives, embodying several roles and positions. Engineer, HEC graduate in finance and alumna of the French joint war college, Charlotte Mauviot joined Suez 17 years ago doing economic intelligence in China. She has lived on all 5 continents since that date . After strategy and project management, appointed director and boards member, she specializes in developing, financing and portfolio management of major international infrastructure projects. Rewarded by the HEC foundation for her thesis, she shares her wide international experience and PPP expertise by teaching at HEC and Sorbonne, in France and abroad. Driven by the desire to transmit, she authored 2 books and coaches HEC students. In parallel, Charlotte nurtures her talents in studying geopolitics and geostrategy. She engages in extraordinary military courses and pursues the animation of Suez women and men network @WO&MEN that she co-created
Caroline Puechoultres (H.91)
An innovative leader who drives successful business transformations across industries, from media to retail and tourism.
Graduated from HEC in 1991 and trained in marketing within P&G for 7 seven years, Caroline joined the media industry, in the M6 TV channel firstly to create the marketing department, before joining the internet supply provider, Liberty Surf, to successfully make it switch from free to paid. In the tourism market, in Club Med, where she takes over the board position as number 3, she leads her first company transformation at an international level behind a successful upward strategic shift, driving her to Asia. Back in France, Caroline reinvents the market codes of mass retail through both vision and emotion inside Intermarché, resulting in a business turnaround up to becoming “hype”. Her next transformation challenge will be the mall industry as general manager of Unibail Westfield.
Contribution to HEC: At HEC, I “learned to be daring”, gaining self-confidence to take up challenges in various fields, while expressing myself with my own personality. I developed the true sense of a community spirit.
Mona Levacher (H.16)
International engineer and business leader who believes in woman's empowerment and gender equality.
Mona Levacher is an Iranian-born French Automotive and Tech Executive with 18 years of international business management experience across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. After an Engineering degree from the Polytechnic University of Tehran, she started her career at Renault in Iran, and was selected as the first Iranian high-potential leader to join Renault Headquarters in France. Since then, she has worked with several multinational companies, including Nissan, Hyundai, Faurecia, and Stellantis, leveraging her extensive experience throughout the automotive value chain. Mona holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris and received Stellantis' Outstanding Performance Award in 2020 for her work leading the launch and go-to-market of electric vehicle charging. She also advocates for women in STEM, diversity and inclusion, and animal rights, and is fluent in French, English, and Farsi.
Contribution to HEC: The quality of the academic staff and participants are second to none. Also, HEC Paris is the only school with such a valuable brand that also gives you the opportunity to specialize during the EMBA in courses across the globe through campuses and partnerships. The HEC EMBA helped me to develop self-awareness, know better my strengths and weaknesses, focus on where I need to improve and which strong points I need to leverage in order to thrive in the corporate world. I think it’s one of the best decisions I have taken in my life. The experience was so eye-opening to me that honestly it’s hard to describe how much of a difference it made.
Nathalie Toulza Madar (H.90)
A passionate of cinema who successfully managed to develop a carrer in this industry and transmit her passion to HEC students.
After graduating in 1999, Nathalie Toulza Madar held different positions in the financing of movies. She began her career in specialized banks and created many soficas, financial instruments bringing tax benefits which help finance French films. Nathalie joined TF1 films production in 2007 as the General Director, in charge of film production and coproductions for the company. Among other things, she is known for having coproduced Intouchables and the most famous French comedy franchises. She returned to HEC Paris to co-animate a class she co-created, dedicated to the movie business (“Money and Images”), and did it for ten years, a course she would have dreamt of while studying at HEC Paris!
Contribution to HEC: My education at HEC gave me the opportunity to work in the movie sector through internships, encounters among teachers or movie professionals that would not have been possible without the school.
Emilie Korchia (H.15)
Co-founder of My Job Glasses, true advocate for gender equality in entrepreneurship.
Emilie Korchia co-founded My Job Glasses, a leading European professional meetings platform that has created over 500,000 young-professional duos in the seven years since it was incubated at the Incubateur HEC Paris. In 2023, the platform will be opened to everyone, enabling anyone to find their dream career and develop their skills and knowledge. Prior to starting My Job Glasses, Emilie worked for The Walt Disney Company in London and Paris for 10 years, and volunteered for a charity for two years. Emilie graduated from HEC Paris Executive Education in 2015 and has been actively involved with the HEC Alumni Committee and Bureau. Today, she serves as the President of HEC Generation Boost, the generational club for 30-45 years-old HEC alumni.
Contribution to HEC: HEC showed me I wanted to create a start-up. Since I did it, the HEC community has been a valuable help in shaping My Job Glasses, whether through the HEC Incubator or by finding our first investors.
Rachel Picard (H.89)
A transformative leader who brings energy, disruption, and commits for her clients and her team.
Rachel Picard's 12 years of marketing experience in tourism fuel her passion for client interests, leading to innovative product design. Her strategic vision has early integrated digital transformation, after ten years dedicated to e-commerce, in start-ups and as the head of voyages-sncf.com. She succeeded in deeply transforming the SNCF Train Stations and the TGV business model, bringing growth, quality and profitability with the launch of Ouigo, an unprecedented move, and TGV Inoui. As Chairwoman of Criteo, board member of Yves Rocher, and Director at Axa, she leads today's strategic turnarounds facing the Gafam. Rachel is a leader full of energy with an open dialogue. She sets a clear direction, and stands for her convictions, building powerful and diversified teams.
Contribution to HEC: A facilitated entry in business with the relevant keys, the understanding of the unique strength of team building, an open and action driven mindset in a moving world, the strong support of the network.
Anne-Claire Berg (H.14)
Careers are a powerful driver for change – it’s up to each of us to positively impact our journey.
Anne-Claire Berg is a People,Transformation and Impact Executive on a mission to make companies a part of the solution towards a more sustainable world. As a trailblazing business leader, attorney and entrepreneur, she has extensive experience driving holistic transformations connecting business strategy with culture, organization and people to unlock growth , in public companies, private ventures and private-equity backed firms. As a value-driven forward-thinker, she believes in the power of trust and empowerment to unleash purpose and performance. She is a lifelong learner passionate about connecting the dots and a trusted adviser and influencer who brings together the broader ecosystem to thrive by joining forces with employees, C-Suite, Board, investors, NGOs, and external stakeholders.
Contribution to HEC: HEC has broadened my horizon. Being a leader means shaping the future: HEC has been an ally in that journey, both through the skills I have learned in my Executive MBA and the alumni community I am part of.
Valérie Pécresse (H.88)
A political leader committed to serving her social and liberal right-wing Gaullism convictions.
Valérie Pécresse graduated from HEC in 1988 and has since dedicated her life to political commitments. Valérie began her career as a state auditor specialized in legal matters and has been head of the Paris Region since 2015. In 1995, she joined Jacques Chirac’s Cabinet as a technical advisor. After Nicolas Sarkozy’s victory in 2007, she was nominated Minister of Higher Education and Research to carry out one of the most important reforms: a more autonomous model for Universities and a reform of the research sector. In 2011, she was appointed spokesperson for the Government and Minister of the Budget, Public Accounts and State Reform, reducing the budget deficit and public expenditures. She also set up a special VAT scheme against delocalisation, reducing the cost of work as a key to employment competitiveness. Valerie was elected as a Member of Parliament thrice.
Contribution to HEC: I discovered action and teamwork at HEC. I understood the importance of free enterprise for the prosperity and sovereignty of a country. HEC education taught me the sense of concreteness and good management.
Marguerite Cazeneuve (H.13)
Committed women to renovating and consolidating social democracy within the public sector.
Marguerite Cazeneuve began her career at McKinsey, a royal road she left to join the public sector. Marguerite is passionate about social protection and entered the office of the Minister of Finance in 2016, then that of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister in 2017, where she led major reforms (notably alimony and universal pension system) and was the Government's advisor on COVID crisis management. Since 2021, Marguerite has been number 2 in Health Insurance, a public company of 80,000 people. Her challenges are the digital transformation of the health system, access to care despite medical desertification, and medical innovation while controlling expenditure. Three personal priorities: women's health, neurodevelopmental disorders in children, and decarbonization of the health system.
Contribution to HEC: A former President of the Students' Bureau and a volunteer with the Improve association, supported by the Social Business Chair, HEC has inspired my two great vocations: politics and social issues.
Claire Pedini (H.87)
Dare, care, share.
Claire Pedini has more than 30 years of executive positions in finance and HR. During ten years within Total, Claire learnt the power of geopolitics, history, and expertise. Listing Total on the NYSE was the most fascinating project she participated in. Later with Alcatel, she was convinced of the role of mobility in career, diversity in teams and companies, and how leadership can bring out the best in everyone. Within Saint-Gobain today, she experience the strength of a united culture, of values; how to drive change and make a difference in the Group and with its stakeholders; how to maximize your impact and minimize your footprint as a company. In the Board of Directors or in the team she belongs, she learns. Changing perspective is a must.
Contribution to HEC: I met my husband at HEC. My education at HEC opened my mind, increased my confidence and ability to dare. I learnt how to learn. The variety of the Alumni profiles convinced me of the power of diversity.
Cecilia Weckstrom (T.12)
Collaborative leader, head of marketing transformation at LEGO, valuing collaboration for long-term success.
As a multidisciplinary leader, Cecilia Weckstrom’s mission is to inspire and connect people to realize their genius. Over the past 20 years, she has played a pivotal role in building the LEGO Group into one of the world's most successful brands by introducing new product lines, cultivating deeper relationships, improving brand experiences, prioritizing sustainability, and championing diversity and inclusion in company culture and strategy. In addition to her professional pursuits, Cecilia is a trustee for an educational charity, a member of the International Advisory Board of HEC Paris, and an advisor to two health tech start-ups. Outside of work, Cecilia uses her creativity through music production under the name Oxime.
Contribution to HEC: My TRIUM MBA, which includes HEC, has enabled me to combine my creative background with business strategy to achieve transformational, enterprise-level change.
Christel Bories (H.86)
An impact leader who has always thrived to be part of the solution, committed to a sustainable mining industry.
Christel Bories brings an extensive experience in leading global industrial companies and has developed strong expertise in business transformation and strategy deployment in complex international industrial environments. Her passion for making an impact allows her to drive companies towards success by leading internal revolutions. As a true leader, she enjoys being on the field all around the world, together with her teams, to make sure they understand the purpose of what they are doing, and that progress and milestones are reached on time to provide sustainable and responsible solutions to the growth of the industry and the challenges of the energy transition. Christel advocates responsible and sustainable mining as the key to better industry and environment outcomes.
Contribution to HEC: HEC gave me a broader view on the business, being able to understand all dimensions (from strategy to HR or control) that makes a business successful. The reputation of HEC helped me getting access to the right jobs at the beginning of my career… and building a small network of good friends!
Fatma Chouaieb (H.11)
Co-founder and CEO of Hello Charly, building innovative solutions to help students find their path.
Fatma Chouaieb is a 35-year-old Tunisian-French entrepreneur and mother of three. After completing her baccalauréat in Tunisia, she pursued further education in Paris, where she studied at prépa HEC before earning her degree from HEC Paris. Fatma began her career as a consultant at KPMG, while remaining deeply committed to defending the rights of foreign students in France. Her passion for entrepreneurship led her to co-found Hello Charly with Laurent Deambrogio. The company is dedicated to building innovative solutions that positively impact people's lives, especially students seeking career paths. Today, Hello Charly employs 24 people and remains focused on helping each and every student envision a bright future.
Contribution to HEC: HEC was founding, since education and then throughout professionnal life. HEC is first of all an entrepreneurial mindset, and a strong conviction that community is key to help each other.
Valérie Hermann (H.85)
A leader who believes that teamwork makes the dream work.
Valerie Hermann is the managing director of EPI'S fashion and luxury division, a Paris-based private investment platform. Before joining EPI, Valerie spent 9-years in New York, where she held various executive roles at Ralph Lauren, including President of Global Brands, and CEO at Reed Krakoff. Previously, she occupied several executive positions at Kering and LVMH-owned brands, including CEO of Yves Saint Laurent for 6 years and Director of Women's Ready to Wear at Dior. Valerie began her career at the Comité Colbert, the French luxury association, after graduating from HEC, where she established her first luxury student club. Passionate about creative-led brands, Valerie is currently a Member of the Board of Directors at Axel Arigato and MF Brands Group. She is the mother of three daughters.
Contribution à HEC : Beyond the remarkable professors and stimulating curriculum, I am very grateful for the dynamism of HEC’s student life. The teamwork skills that I developed have been invaluable throughout my career.
Laurence Rigolini (H.10)
Expert in international negotiation of civil and military helicopters in a masculine world.
Laurence Rigolini devoted her career to aviation, making her debut at MBB in Germany and then joining the international sales team of Eurocopter. Backed by the sale of more than 200 civil and military helicopters, she became, in 2002, Sales Director. She succeeded in the daring bet of landing a helicopter on Everest and headed the Russian subsidiary Eurocopter Vostok in 2010. In 2014, she was Secretary General and a member of the COMEX of ATR (40% of the regional aircraft market). In 2018, Laurence took charge of international cooperation and "offsets" at Airbus. She contributed to developing Airbus' footprint in the world by rolling out the company's global strategy at the regional level. Since 2021, she has been responsible within the customer services department for supporting the fleet of aircraft in service worldwide.
Hedwige Chevrillon (H.84)
Interviewing is an art, that can be compared to the war by Sun Tzu.
Hedwige Chevrillon is a high graduate in economics, political science and business administration from HEC and London Business school, and journalism at Institut Français de Presse. She began her career as a newspaper journalist at L’Expansion and La Tribune and swapped to radio and TV. Presently, Hedwige is one of the best-known figures of BFM Business and BFM TV, hosting daily outstanding interviews of leaders and monthly « L’Entretien HEC » with Vincent Beaufils. Bold, professional and determined, Hedwige never hesitates to interrupt her guests which makes them both fascinated and disturbed by her comments. She is renowned for not conceding nor granting any favour. In 2007, she published a book entitled “Sarkozy connection”. Hedwige is a member of Young leaders of the French American Foundation. She has been honored with The Ordre du Mérite and La Légion d’Honneur.
Emilie Gobin Mignot (H.09)
A serial entrepreneure who applies every day this quote from Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts".
In 2009, after HEC, she founded L'Usine à Design, a pioneer design furniture e-tailer, serving as CEO for 4 years until its closure. The company had €4M in annual revenue, €6M in funding, a team of 35 employees, and over 100 press mentions. In 2013, she was the entrepreneur-in-residence at Numa, the top startup accelerator in France at the time. In 2015, she discovered virtual reality, leading to the creation of VRLINES, a VR content production label, with Bertrand Wolff. In 2018, Emilie co-founded Antilogy with Bertrand. The company's mission is to ensure the success of immersive media (AR, VR, MR, and metaverse) deployment within organizations. SNCF, Orange, BNP Paribas, HEC, Sc. Po, and Kedge are among the 300 clients who have deployed XR for prevention, training, and collaboration with Antilogy for the past 5 years. Emilie is co-author of the reference book "Training with Virtual Reality," published by Dunod. She is also a proud mother of two.
Contribution à HEC : HEC education and community has brought me valuable mentorship, support at every stage of my entrepreneurial journey, from creation to bankruptcy and fundraising, as well as access to a vast network of successful HEC alumni.
Fidji Simo (H.08)
Find the magic in others and shine a light on it.
Fidji Simo has been CEO of Instacart since August 2021. Before Instacart, she spent a decade at Meta, leading Facebook, Meta’s flagship app. Simo is a consumer technology industry veteran, having spent over 15 years leading the operations, strategy and product development for some of the world’s leading businesses. Fortune has recognised her twice as part of their “40 under 40” annual ranking of most influential people. She was #2 on Fast Company’s 2017 list of Most Creative People in Business, and was ranked 10th most influential French person in the world by Vanity Fair. Simo graduated from HEC in 2008 and lives with her husband and daughter in California. She co-founded the Metrodora Institute, a leading medical and research institute focused on autoimmune conditions.
Contribution à HEC : I grew up in a family of fishermen and never expected to become a CEO in Silicon Valley. HEC opened up these opportunities through its leading education and its partnership with UCLA that allowed me to discover the US.
Christine Roger (H.83)
An HEC Alumna dedicated to public service.
Arriving on the campus after the competition was like changing gears, from knowledge to future profession. It was not easy for me. I felt strongly about public service. So I started an administrative career, as a diplomat on masculine territory – arms control as the Soviet Union was disintegrating. I learned the names of countless Soviet planes, helicopters and infantry fighting vehicles (not countless, in fact – I counted them), which is becoming useful again these days. Afterwards, I discovered Europe and the many different careers you can pursue while staying in Brussels. I read my first Tintin albums in 1983, inspired by the name of our promotion (Adieu Tintin), as Hergé died the year I graduated. I wrote a book about Tintin many years after. This is the unusual gift HEC has brought me.
Contribution à HEC : Studying at HEC, I particularly enjoyed "gestion de production" and "comptabilité analytique" odd choices, I'm sure, but these have structured the way I approach many issues.
Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin (H.82)
We all have the opportunity to change the world through our action
Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin is a graduate of HEC, a former National School of Administration student and has been a State Councillor at the French Council of State since 2001. Isabelle joined the Bull Group from 1991 to 1993 and then was deputy director of the Minister of Culure's office from 1993 to 1995. Subsequently, she was appointed expert to the OECD and became Chairwoman of the Advisory Board and General Delegate of the Internet Rights Forum from 2001 to 2010. Isabelle chaired the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) from 2011 to 2019 and the European Data Protection Board, when the GDPR was drawn up. In 2019, Isabelle was appointed “Garant” of the French “Grand Débat”, in charge of its ethics and, Chairwoman of the National Gambling Authority (ANJ) in June 2020.
Contribution à HEC : HEC was a tremendous time. I learned pragmatism and sense of realities. I thought, maybe a little naive, that everything was possible under strong will and work. It gave me an confidence and trust all over my life.
Edwige Ravry (H.07)
An HEC finance professional becoming a Drilling Engineer with a quest to industrialise 3D printing.
Edwige joined TotalEnergies in 2007 and held several business-related roles, which took her from Paris to Scotland to Canada. From the start, she had found herself drawn to technical topics, and in 2014 she went back to school to become a Drilling Engineer, after which she worked on Drilling Rigs in Argentina and Scotland. In January 2017, an equipment failure caused a significant delay in operations. Edwige googled 3D Printing and had an epiphany: one day, Energy companies will store spare parts as virtual files in a “Digital Inventory” and print them on demand, close to site, to reduce lead time cost and carbon footprint. Edwige is 3D Printing and Digital Inventory Product Owner for TotalEnergies embarked on a quest to make this vision come true and continues every day to develop 3D Printing.
Contribution à HEC : I learned that with willpower and commitment anything is possible. This unlimited potential is a gift to be used wisely, a responsibility towards society to try and make the world a better place.
Sylvie Lemmet (H.81)
A committed leader who creates collaboration between the private and the public sectors for the benefit of the planet.
After 10 ten years of leadership in the private sector, Sylvie Lemmet had managerial positions in the field of sustainable development in multilateral organizations and in the French gouvernement. At the UNEP Economics Direction, she Sylvie developed multiple impactful initiatives that involve scientists, companies, the financial sector and states for the commitments to reduce greenhouse gases. At the French Ministry of the Environment, she then launched the call for action during COP21, which gave rise to major international climate initiatives. She Sylvie also led the French delegation, which successfully negotiated the Kunming Montreal agreement, equivalent to the Paris agreement on biodiversity, in December 2022.
Contribution to HEC: An understanding of various business models and a result-oriented culture guided me throughout my career, including in the public sector.
Claire Calmejane (H.06)
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Abraham Lincoln.
Claire Calmejane is a French business leader known for her work in digital transformation. With a decade of experience leading teams at innovative companies, she has helped them navigate the digital landscape and emerge as industry leaders. In 2018, Claire became a member of the executive committee of Société Générale, a major French company, making her one of the youngest and first woman to head innovation, digital and data at Groupe Level, reporting to the CEO. She was appointed Executive President of the Fintech Treezor and NED and Chair of the Audit Committee in 2020. Claire is a mentor and an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry and continues to inspire others to think differently and drive business success through technology.
Contribution to HEC: HEC Education provided a unique foundation of knowledge and skills and the courage to be entrepreneurial and dare. Being a part of a community, like the HEC community, provided me with outstanding networking opportunities, access to industry experts and resources, and a support system as they navigate their careers.
Hortense De Roux (H.05)
Hortense de Roux, a passionate business lawyer committed to the city.
Hortense De Roux is a lawyer specializing in business litigation. She built her personal and professional career by placing the others at the center of her values and actions. Because defending someone is to be a technician, but she also knows to listen to the client and to put him at the center of the strategy while anticipating the counter-arguments and the psychology of the adversary. A 36-year-old partner in an international business law firm, her career path was recognized by the 2018 HEC Lawyer Award. President of Grandes Ecoles au Féminin since 2018, an association bringing together alumni from X, Centrale, Mines, Ponts, HEC, ESSEC, ESCP, INSEAD, Sciences-Po and ENA, Hortense works in a concrete way to improve the place of women in the professional sphere, in collaboration with public authorities and companies.
Contribution to HEC: HEC played an essential role in my education by providing me with a sense of the responsibilities incumbent on those who have the keys and who must commit themselves to the common good.
Sophie Javary (H.80)
Investment banker, mother as well as feminist, citizen and European activist.
Sophie Javary began her career at Bank of America and then at Indosuez. She joined Rothschild in 1994, where she was Managing Director and then General Partner in 2002. In 2011, she joined BNP Paribas as Senior Banker and took over all EMEA Corporate Finance activities from 2014 to 2018. She has been Vice-Chairman of CIB EMEA since 2019 and focuses, as an executive sponsor, on providing strategic advices and developing overall investment banking business. She is Knight of the French Legion of Honor and is the mother of three children. She is a director of Adevinta and Turenne and a member of the board of directors of the NGO Europa Nova. She has been lecturing in Corporate Finance at HEC since 2011 and she has been involved with the HEC Foundation for more than 10 years.
Contribution to HEC: HEC was the cornerstone of my career and ambition. The international program in particular was real advantage. During my career, I have been able to rely on the HEC community.
Christine Vial Kayser (H.79)
From HEC to art history: the will to understand and act on the social imagination.
Graduated from HEC in 1979, Christine Vial Kayser spent five years as an economist at CGM. She became an art broker as she wanted to combine her passion for arts with her management background. Christine graduated from the newly created Institut National du Patrimoine in 1991 and became the leading curator and director of the Musée-Promenade of Marly-le-Roi in 1993. Thanks to HEC studies, she could deal with administrative and budgetary aspects and scientific and cultural strategies. Interested in research in art, Christine obtained a PhD and became an Associate professor in 2011, specialising in Contemporary art. She taught at universities in Paris and India. She is now an Associate researcher at Cergy-Pontoise University, directing PhD and research projects.
Contribution to HEC: Social impact, taste for change and risk and sensitivity to collective energy are the thread between her HEC background and her art career.
Françoise Remarck (E.04)
From the private sector to the government, a woman committed to her country.
Graduate of ESCA in Abidjan and of the Executive MBA at HEC, Françoise began her career in France at EY before returning to her home country. She then helped create CANAL+ in Côte d’Ivoire, became its CEO and contributed to its development in Africa. Françoise subsequently joined CFAO as VP for Institutional Relations and Communications, leading significant African projects. She is a committed woman who served as VP of the Ivorian Board of Trustees, as a member of several boards, and contributed to strategic projects with a high societal impact. Often cited as one of Africa’s most influential personalities, she was named one of AFI’s 100 Inspirational Women of the 21st Century. Commander of the National Order and Commander of the Order of Communication of Côte d’Ivoire, Françoise, is presently the Minister of Culture and Francophonie in Côte d’Ivoire.
Contribution to HEC: HEC has impacted the progression of my successful career and my commitments, and I am pleased to share these experiences, particularly with young people.
Nathalie Rachou (H.78)
A full spectrum from Global Markets to entrepreneurship and non-executive directorships.
Nathalie Rachou started her career as a banker for 22 years at Banque Indosuez, mostly in Global Markets and as a Company Secretary. In 1999, she became an entrepreneur with the set up of Topiary Finance, an asset management company based in London, which she managed till 2014, when it merged with Clartan. In 2008, Nathalie joined the board of Société Générale as a professional non-executive director, where she chaired the Risk Committee and was a member of the Audit Committee. Afterwards, she joined the boards of Altran (2012-2020), Laird PLC (2016-2018), Veolia (2012-actual) as chair of the Audit Committee, Euronext (2019-actual) as chair of the Remuneration Committee and UBS Group (2020-actual) as a member of the Risk Committee and the Governance and Nomination Committees.
Contribution to HEC: Coming from a medical family, HEC opened her mind to the world and its dynamics, brought her friends for life and a fantastic network, with easy connections and personal and professional opportunities. Nathalie Rachou started her career as a banker for 22 years at Banque Indosuez, mostly in Global Markets and as a Company Secretary. She subsequently became an entrepreneur in 1999 with the set up of Topiary Finance, an asset management company based in London, which she managed till 2014 when it merged with Clartan. In 2008, Nathalie joined the board of Société Générale as a professional non-executive director, where she chaired the Risk Committee and was a member of the Audit Committee. Afterwards, she joined the boards of Altran (2012-2020), Laird PLC (2016-2018), Veolia (2012-actual) as chair of the Audit Committee, Euronext (2019-actual) as chair of the Remuneration Committee and UBS Group (2020-actual) as a member of the Rik Committee and the Governance and Nomination Committees.
Delphine Inesta (H.03)
Delphine restores employees' pride in their work by leading their company on a virtuous path.
After HEC, ENS, and a few years of consulting, Delphine joined Arcole Industries in 2009, a holding company specializing in turnaround investment. In 2012, she was appointed as CEO, thus becoming the first female partner of a French turnaround investment company. Delphine managed takeover operations of French SMEs and mid-caps companies, holding social mandates to lead their return to growth by placing human levers at the heart of her action, for instance, with Phenix (post-disaster decontamination) and Solice (pre-insulated pipes). She contributed to saving more than a thousand jobs. In 2021, Delphine co-founded Arcole, a management company managing an 85M€ fund dedicated to investing in French SMEs and mid-caps facing complex situations.
Contribution to HEC: Besides the academic education, HEC provided Delphine with fruitful and essential relationships, alongside a sense of legitimacy that she sometimes felt short of, in some specific environments (industrial SMEs).
Andrée Aubert-Theisen (H.77)
A committed HEC alumna that doesn’t want to "leave anyone by the wayside".
Alongside a successful career in finance and organization within various international structures in the commercial sectors, such as Danone and Brinks groups and non-commercial sectors, such as the French Red Cross, Andrée Aubert-Theisen has devoted part of her time, her expertise and her interpersonal skills to the service of several associations. Retired and incredibly committed to enabling equal opportunities and professional integration, Andrée remains very involved socially, notably through HEC Bénévolat and directly within several social and solidarity economy structures and as a municipal councillor. Andrée, a fulfilled grandmother, has succeeded in reconciling her private life with social, professional and civic commitments.
Contribution to HEC: The HEC culture and education gave me a renowned label that led to the development of my great professional confidence regardless of the sector, social and geographical environment. It helped me acquire solid technical bases, particularly in finance, accounting and management, that I applied to different sectors where I could evolve and update easily.
Sabrina Herlory-Rouget (H.02)
Believe strongly in what you do and do what you believe is right.
Joining HEC was not intuitive for those who define themselves more readily as literary; however, Sabrina Herlory would not have become CEO of Aroma-Zone and would not have the tools to achieve her societal convictions if she had chosen another path. Her career is the fruit of the republican school. A brilliant student, Sabrina was received at HEC thanks to her excellence in philosophy. She was supported financially by HEC and had to work in parallel to pay for her studies. She began her career at L'Occitane to take over as DG Europe before becoming the French boss of Mac Cosmetics. Sabrina is a Major Donor and a Campaign Committee member of the HEC Foundation. Sabrina considers as essential to act in favour of equal opportunities and to ensure that HEC is accessible to all talents. Sabrina is a spokesperson for the Women's Foundation and administrator of the Maison des Femmes de St Denis administrator, the association "Tous à l'école" and the GRANDIR group.
Contribution to HEC: In my professional life, I was given my chance twice because of HEC. These studies were an undeniable accelerator in my career and allowed me to make very solid friendships that still carry me today.
Nicole Arditti (H.76)
A pioneer, renowned expert in finance and international financial advisory to governments, multinationals and banks.
Nicole Arditti graduated from HEC Paris and LBS & NYU international management program in 1976. She started her career at Bank of America and joined Lazard in 1985. Nicole has advised many governments, multinational corporations and financial institutions on financing, privatizations, M&A, debt management and structuring of large energy & infrastructure projects, notably in emerging countries and CEE. She is an Independent Director on the Board of KICB Bank and a member of the Risk and Audit Committees. Nicole recently joined the Global Sovereign Advisory (GSA) as a Senior Advisor and is the President and Founder of her consulting firm. Involved in charitable activities, Nicole sits on the Board of the Sustainable Infrastructure Foundation (SIF) & Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants (OSE).
Contribution to HEC: Nicole was until 2020 Vice president of the HEC Alumni Finance Group. Presently, she is a member of HEC Alumni International Development Group and HEC Governance and Director Group.
Hiba Farès (H.01)
A charismatic leader with the mantra: speak up, speak true, speak for those who won't, speak about those who can't.
Hiba Farès has been CEO of RATP Dev since January 1st, 2022, a leading operator of mass-transit systems and virtuous mobilities worldwide for vibrant city life. Alongside the 27,000 employees of RATP, she is committed to promoting the environmental, social and societal benefits of public transport. Hiba started her career at Air France - KLM in 2001, in charge of revenue management. She moved to the Accor Group in 2007, holding several operational positions before being appointed General Manager for the Novotel and Mercure brands. She then joined the RATP Group in 2018 as SVP, Customer Experience, Marketing and Services and a member of the Executive Committee. Hiba graduated from HEC in 2001 and the Harvard Business School Executive Program in 2017.
Contribution to HEC: I met many of my best friends and sparring partners at HEC. They are the best support one can have concerning all professional concerns and decisions. The general business knowledge proposed by HEC brings credibility across sectors and fields, helps navigate complex situations, and ensures openness to the world.
