100 Billion, 1,000 Recruitments, +4°C for the Planet...ESSEC in the Media

Business leaders, committed citizens, experts, entrepreneurs and artists; ESSEC is making the headlines in all fields! Press Review

Business leaders 

In Les Échos, Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO of L’Oréal Group, suggested that ‘the cosmetics market can still grow by 100 billion’. His calculations are based notably on an ageing population, which increases the demand for care; the growth in male customers, and the opportunities offered by Beauty Tech.
Read an extract (in French)
See also our interview (in French)

In Le Figaro, Nicolas Gomart (E85), Chief Executive Officer of Matmut, revealed his strategy to attract young people (influencer management, educational content on social media, etc.) and boost the inclusion of over 45s (short-term contracts, the French Employment Agency’s POEI scheme for operational training, and combined employment / retirement arrangements, etc.). The aim behind this strategy is to recruit more than 1,000 people per year.
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Les Échos described how Véronique Bédague (E87),CEO of Nexity, is acting to address the housing crisis. ‘She is fighting to lower new housing prices and to impose her vision of a green, sustainable and inclusive city.’  
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Jeune Afrique retraced the career of Féride Hassanely (E07),  ‘the DIY salesman who became Madagascar’s super sales rep’ – as the co-CEO of the Malagasy group, Talys, to be precise. ‘From Radisson to Cdiscount and Weldom, he managed to convince worldwide brands to bank on the island. A risky bet which paid off.’
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In Les Échos, Arnaud Delattre (E85), CEO of Starquest Capital, announced the launch of a fund devoted to innovations helping to prevent natural disasters. ‘Because, unfortunately, we are heading closer to a rise of 4°C than the 1.5°C of the Paris Agreement, we’re putting our investment expertise to work for the climate and an insurable world for all.’
Read an extract (in French)

Commitment

Les Échos praised the Women for CEO initiative launched by Florence Dupré (M95). ‘This mixed collective of 400 people (46% of whom are men) aims to shatter the glass ceiling and achieve parity in executive management within10 years.’ 
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See also our interview (in French)

Le Figaro revealed the secret behind the success of the Amipi Foundation, which operates six factories in France, with 840 employees, 700 of whom have a cognitive disability. The newspaper spoke to the company’s CEO Jean-Marc Richard (E82) and its deputy CEO Quentin Lambert (EXEC PROG 22). ‘Our model is of huge benefit to society, as the overall labour cost is actually four times more effective than the overall non-labour cost, providing everyone plays their part.’
Read the article (in French)

On France 3, ethologist  Julie Lasne (EXEC M07) criticised the initiatives aimed at reintroducing wild animals to their natural habitat. ‘If you release an animal which has lived in captivity into the wild, you send them to their death! For example, a cheetah, like any wild cat, will chase a moving animal. But this animal may not be a valid prey for the cheetah. It might chase a zebra, get kicked and die, whereas a wild cheetah is more likely to hunt impalas or small gazelles. The cheetah cannot know this, unless it had a wild mother to learn from.
Watch the programme (in French)

On Sqool TV, clinical psychologist  Adrien Cascarino (E10) explained the correlation between self-harm and sexual abuse. ‘Many experts believe this often occurs when the victim’s accusation is ignored by the people around them.’ 
See an extract (in French)
See also our interview (in French)

Experts

In Challenges, Marc Benayoun (E89), Executive Director in charge of customers, services & regions at EDF Group, forecast a dramatic rise in the demand for electricity in the years to come. ‘By 2035, we anticipate the electrification of half the motor vehicle fleet (70 Twh), the creation of new factories (60 Twh), and the development of data centres to manage ChatGPT searches, which require ten times more energy than the same searches on Google (20 TWh).’ 
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In Le Figaro, Sarah Roussel (E95), President of the Union of Automotive Long-Term-Lease Services and Mobility Companies (SesamLLD), warned of a paradoxical situation: ‘By imposing overly-strict quotas and financial penalties on companies, without taking into account their operational needs and budgetary constraints, we risk encouraging fleet owners to hold onto their petrol vehicles for longer, and thus slow down the necessary greening of company fleets.’ 
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In Le Monde, ESSEC professors, Julien Malaurent (M09 & PHD 12) and Guillaume Chevillon, argued that artificial intelligence enables the emergence of a new form of creativity, accessible to all. ‘This technology can be used to generate an unimaginable number of texts, images and videos. The trick is to understand the machine, its abilities and limits.’
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On BFM TV, Rémi Seners (E07) ) shared the conclusions of a BCG survey on operations such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday or China’s Singles’ Day. ‘While these campaigns address a real need in terms of purchasing power, they also symbolise a form of unabashed overconsumption. In response to this, initiatives such as Green Friday are gaining ground, exposing “the real price of false offers” and encouraging greater sobriety in keeping with the ESG commitments of brands and retail companies.’ 
See the programme (in French)

On France 2’s programme Cash Investigation, Brice Alzon (M03), President of the Federation of Personal Service Companies, warned of the labour shortage in this sector. ‘We estimate that there are 150,000 vacancies to be filled. 25% of our business operates thanks to foreign workers.’ 
See the programme (in French)

On France Inter, Anne-Sophie Moreau (E10), Managing Editor of Philonomist and Chief Editor of Philomag, offered her analysis of the current trend for fermented food. ‘This trend embodies a certain form of political activism calling for a return to the sources of life.’ 
Listen to the programme (in French)

In L’Express, Elsa Vanier (E79), an expert in contemporary jewellery, analysed recent market trends. ‘The young generations are more concerned with ethical questions, such as the origin of gems or recycling. Another new trend is the growing appeal of rings, bracelets and earrings for men.’ 
Read an extract (in French)

Entrepreneurship

Le Monde revealed that NanoXplore, the French leader in electronics for space developed by  Édouard Lepape (E09), is expanding its activities into the defence sector. ‘We are in a niche market which enables us to exist alongside American giants such as Intel, AMD or Microchip.’
Read an extract (in French)

Le Progrès praised the success of Côme Fouques (E12), the ‘king of accounting’ with his start up, Indy. ‘Following our capital raising of €40 million, we reached the 100,000-customer milestone and we now hope to multiply this figure by ten in the next 5 years.’
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Maddyness explains how the start-up Zack, co-founded by Pierre-Emmanuel Saint-Esprit (E16), succeeded in carving a place for itself within the Manutan group. ‘During the takeover, we didn’t just negotiate the initial valuation, but also and above all the outlook for the years to come. An acquisition must include the creation of a joint project.’
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Le Figaro devoted a feature to Marion Carrette (E96) who, having created two internet start-ups, took over the wool company Anny Blatt, in liquidation in 2020 despite its popularity in the 1980s thanks to journalist Anne Sinclair. Her plan to rescue the company succeeded: ‘The brand still has a great reputation, and I’m as surprised as anyone else.’
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La Tribune revealed how Guillaume Fiévet (E99) took over his family’s soap business in northern Marseille and transformed it into driver of regional reindustrialisation. ‘His products currently sell in 40 countries, particularly in Asia. A lesson in how to fight for the preservation of know-how, while contributing to the promotion of a region.’ 
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Les Échos showcased the start-up Zilo Énergie, co-founded by Chloé Roubach (E14). ‘In exchange for a monthly subscription, individual customers no longer have to pay the high installation and maintenance fees for the solar panels on their roofs. This should facilitate the mass roll-out of solar energy and enable France to catch up.’
Read an extract (in French)

On Europe 1, Julia Néel Biz (E12) presented Teale, the mental health platform she co-founded with Nicolas Merlaud (E12). ‘We provide companies with a scientific, systemic and tailor-made approach to take care of their staff and operate healthily and sustainably.’ 
Listen to the programme (in French)

France 2 presented Juma, a circular platform co-founded by Marine Desbans (E08) which gives new life to children’s books, while making reading simpler and more accessible for parents. ‘Thanks to our platform, books are passed on, offering magic and discovery for children while respecting our planet.’
See an extract (in French)

Challenges described how Alexia Leleu (M09) injected new momentum into her family’s ‘high-end decoration’ firm, which 5 years after its relaunch boasts an annual turnover of €3 to €4 million. The magazine praised her many talents: ‘The left hemisphere of rigorous company management, and the right hemisphere of creativity in her role as artistic director, which she took on after a stint at the Boulle school.’ 
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Le Parisien showcased  Léa Chonier (E22), founder of the perfume brand Poécile. ‘Her formula is to assign a scent to the various regions of France. She has captured the attention of the whole world.’
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Closer devoted a large feature to Marine Coré-Baillais (E95),founder of La Pâtisserie Numérique, which is developing a 3D printer capable of producing cakes. ‘With the backing of her mentor, Pierre Hermé, she is about to unveil her first macaroon made from 100% French powder. It’s delicious and environmentally friendly, because any scrap produce can be recycled in the machine.’
Read the article (in French)

Culture & Entertainment

In Le Monde, science fiction author Alain Damasio¹ (E91), explored how to restore the role of humans and society to urban settings which are increasingly dominated by digital technology, markets and power. ‘In a town, the square, the harbour and the café are nerve centres where populations naturally intermingle.’
Read an extract (in French)

Libération shone a spotlight on the artist Emmanuel Guillaud (E93). ‘At the Villa Kujoyama in Kyoto, he projects photos of kimonos onto performers’ bodies. Androgynous, almost supernatural creatures appear like phantoms embodying the desire of ancient Japan. His images, these membranes of light, are transformed into dance, videos and installations. A mirror to sexual and visual evolutions, these images are thus poetic and sublime, while retaining their political charge.’
Read an extract (in French)
See also our interview (in French)

France Culture interviewed Marine Orlova¹ (E08), who became a burlesque striptease dancer under the stage name of Sucre d’Orge. ‘This striptease star expresses her art with mischievous grace, gymnastic abilities and above all a lute to accompany her singing.’ 
Read an extract
See also our interview

On the BBC, Alix de Lataillade (E22) presented her podcast, Signature, in which contemporary artists discuss a selection of their works. ‘This long and intimate format offers new insight into their work and takes you into their studio.’ 
Listen to an extract (in French)

Le Télégramme featured the writer Jean-Luc Komada (EXEC M05). ‘When writing, he likes to vary the themes, from a comedy thriller to a historic recreation of the 1920s, while drawing on his dual heritage as the grandson of Slavic immigrants. This is his third work devoted to the island of Belle-Île, a poetry anthology illustrated by local artists.’ 
Read an extract (in French)
See also our interview (in French)

On M6, Cécile Wolfrom (M23) was a candidate, alongside her friend Marion Navarro, in season 20 of the reality show Pékin Express. ‘The two young women met as successive runners-up of the Miss France contest. At present, one has founded her jewellery brand, while the other is getting ready to launch her clothing brand.’ 
Watch the programme (in French)

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¹ Pseudonym

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