Africa in France Club: “Our Alumni Have Been Working With and in Africa For a Long Time”

Patricia Charlec (I15), president of ESSEC Alumni’s Africa in France Club, is here to tell us more about the activities she organises for our alumni, and the links between ESSEC and Africa.

ESSEC Alumni: What does the Africa in France Club do?

Patricia Charlec: What we try to do is to introduce Africa and its economic, social, and cultural particularities to all ESSEC students and graduates who have an affinity with the continent, or who simply have an interest in working there. Our initiatives fall under five different categories: entrepreneurship; investment and funding; insurance; sustainable development and CSR; and culture, media, and mentoring. 

EA: What kinds of events do you organise? 

P. Charlec: For the time being, we are hosting online discussions with experts. But as soon as the situation with regard to the pandemic permits, we will launch monthly networking events in the form of brunches or after-work drinks, as well as a world summit with other ESSEC Alumni chapters, and an annual dinner with a guest speaker.

EA: What do you have in the pipeline over the next few months?

P. Charlec: We would like to forge partnerships with companies whose business has connections with North Africa and French-, English- and Portuguese-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa. This collaborative approach is already nourishing our activity: we work in close partnership with our counterparts in the INSEAD and HEC business school networks, as well as with the ESSEC Africa student association. 

EA: How can our alumni get involved in your work? 

P. Charlec: You can come to our events, of course, but also suggest subjects to cover and even join the team! We need volunteers to coordinate each subject area and to establish partnerships.

EA: What is the place of the ESSEC community in Africa?

P. Charlec: ESSEC alumni have been working with and in Africa for a long time. There are a number of ESSEC Alumni Chapters spread across the continent, forming a real business community. Not to mention the ESSEC Africa campus in Rabat. 

Feel free to contact the Africa in France Club: 

- Patricia Charlec (I15), chairwoman

- Felix Ntounde (I18), Entrepreneurship

- Wassim Touam (E18), Investment & Funding

- Philippe Audouin (G03), Insurance

- Rémi Filippi (E14), CSR & Sustainable Development 

- Dominique Bitee (M15) and Timothée Vidal (E07), Culture, Media & Mentoring

- Margot Noinin (BBA 20), Communications Officer

- Elisa Berdin (E23), Chairwoman of ESSEC Africa student association

Interview by Veary Ngy, International  Community Manager at ESSEC Alumni, and Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni

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