Climate Emergency, LGBTQI+ Inclusion, Public Engagement... Alumni in the Media
Leaders, experts, citizens and entrepreneurs; ESSEC is making the headlines in all fields! Press review
Leaders
On Radio Classique, Véronique Bédague (E87), CEO of Nexity, paints an alarming picture of the property market. “Let’s be clear about this: the housing crisis is not just a sectoral issue which only concerns property professionals. It’s a crisis which is hitting the French population hard. In just one year and with continuous instalments, first-time buyers have lost around 8m2 of buying potential. On the rental market, there are around half as many offers and one and a half times more demand. It’s time to take off the blinkers and implement a real housing policy which meets the reality of needs.”
In L’Express, Olivia Grégoire (M02), Deputy Minister in charge of SME states: “We cannot avoid the discussion on the sharing of value. In these difficult times, the question of fair pay for employees is a legitimate issue.”
Le Monde des Grandes Écoles looks back at the career of Olivier Kessler-Gay (M98), MD Western Europe for Pandora, the world’s largest jeweller in terms of product volume. “This sector reflects a part of European culture. Jewellery is not a throwaway item, we keep it for a long time and take pleasure in passing it on...and when we grow tired of it, we hold on to it for the joy of finding it again later. I like this notion of durability. It is also a unique expertise and an infinite potential for creation.”
Le Figaro pays tribute to Roger Serre (E67), the “entrepreneur-instructor”, renowned for having founded the IGS group which brings together several higher education and vocational training institutions. “School is not just about learning a skill, it’s also about learning to be. That’s what “good vibration” is.”
Engagement
Albin Serviant (E92), multi-entrepreneur in the tech sector, explains to Têtu readers why and how he saved their magazine, under threat from the trade court. “Acquiring Têtu was my militant act. This media has been the voice of the LGBTQI+ community in France since 1995. I had to give it the means to exist and grow.”
In Les Échos, Cécile Renouard (E90), economist, philosopher and nun, speaks out for the climate emergency during the COP27 climate conference. She urges: “The time has come for political and economic leaders to advocate instead of lobby! And that they exercise systemic responsibility. What are the new game rules you advocate? In addition to our individual and collective ability to recognise the environmental and energy emergency, we must break the infernal logic of growth. It is not a matter of de-growth in all sectors, just the most polluting ones. It is also a question of guiding the change in jobs whose model is no longer sustainable.”
Read an extract (in French).
Ouest France shines the spotlight on the young municipal councillor Raphaël Ruegger (E23), who embarked on a “Tour de France of Things that Work” to meet with a hundred mayors of towns and villages. His aim was to “collect the innovative ideas that could be repeated throughout the country.” Among the ideas he discovered are a civic-minded passport in Vendée, art works instead of advertising billboards in Haute-Marne, or low-rent housing for apprentices in Lot-et-Garonne. His initiative was also reported on in Le Monde, 20 Minutes and France Bleu.
On BSmart, Jeimila Donty (E17) calls for a regeneration of marine ecosystems on the African coastlines. She is personally advocating this cause through her initiative, Koraï, which enables companies to participate in the restoration and protection of coral, mangroves and seagrasses through the development of tailor-made CSR plans, carbon credit buying and the funding of plant nurseries. “The priority of so-called “developing” countries is to catch up with “industrialised” countries on an economic level, at the risk of committing the same errors. We believe that the wealth of African countries can, on the contrary, lead to the emergence of a new economy in favour of the environment.”
Entrepreneurs
Les Échos has ranked Saskia Fiszel (E13), co-founder of Virgil, and Julia Néel Biz (E12), co-founder of Teale, among the 10 women in French Tech to look out for in 2023. Saskia founded Virgil, a solution to facilitate access to property in large metropolises by co-investing up to €100K in association with young workers. Julia co-founded Teale with Nicolas Merlaud (E12), a platform which enables company employees to take care of their mental health.
On BFM TV, Arnaud Delubac (M20), co-founder of Greenly, announced the launch of a B2B solution to assess suppliers with a view to decarbonising the supply chain. “The indirect emissions of a company through its procurements represent up to 80% of its carbon footprint. A more responsible policy could reduce company costs by 9 to 16%.”
France Culture presented the activities of GEEV, a Bordeaux-based start-up co-founded by Florian Blanc (E08), which offers its 4 million users a free peer-to-peer service for donating objects and food. “Our aim is to become a daily reflex for French people; I don’t use this object any more, I can give it to someone who needs it and act for the planet at the same time.”
20 Minutes devoted an article to Baptiste Laurent (M10) and his company Vertuo, which “offers innovative solutions to perpetuate nature in the city”, in particular by recycling rainwater thanks to plantations. “It’s possible to withstand 45 days of drought without having to water!”
During a TEDx conference, Manuel Milliery (EXEC M20) spoke of his career path from the automobile sector and artificial intelligence fields to the fight against microplastics with his start-up Papkot, which produces fully biodegradable and recyclable packaging.
Les Échos praised the start-up Anga, co-founded by Valentine d'Harcourt (E21), and winner of the Orly Paris Young Enterprise award for its solution to transform plastic waste into matter for interior design “We realised that this waste is malleable and can be used to create interesting motifs. Interior design is a sector which is seeking new, more environmentally-friendly materials, but which must stand the test of time and remain aesthetically appealing.”
Capital devoted a full page to Circouleur, co-founded by Marianne Rittaud (E10), which collects used pots of paint to recreate new blends for professionals and the general public. “We could repaint Marseille every year with the all the paint that is wasted in France.”
BFM TV interviewed Tristan Maurel (E20), co-founder of Umiami with Benjamin Presset (E21), which took over a Knorr plant in Alsace to produce plant-based steak as an alternative to meat. “We use plants to imitate the nutritious elements of meat, reduce the carbon impact of our food and protect animals.” See the video (in French).
Les Échos took a look at “the French start-ups which dream of becoming leaders in Africa.” Among them featured Bizao, founded by Aurélien Duval-Delort (E05), which recently raised €8M for its solution enabling local businesses to accept all the payment means available in the continent, despite their vast diversity.
On BFM TV, Cyrille Adam (M21) presented the growth outlooks for Yield Studio, which helps companies to transform their business ideas into digital products. “I’m so proud right now of the work we have accomplished, with support for more than 50 clients, 100% customer satisfaction and start-ups that have become scale-ups, and all that without raising a single euro! Our secret is to rely on senior developers!”
See the video (in French).
On BFM TV, Olivier Zetlers (E05) demonstrated his application Yokai, which produces images generated by artificial intelligence. “You provide around ten portraits of yourself, you ask the application to place you in a given setting, such as the decor of Game of Thrones, and you obtain extremely realistic images. Even you will find it hard to believe you didn’t pose for these photos!” A service geared towards individuals, as well as influencers and fashion or beauty brands.
On the TechCrunch website, Alexis Bidinot (M11) introduced Quiara, a new connected alarm system he is rolling out across France. “The home security market has evolved little over the last 20 years. In this locked-up sector, consumers are subject to unreasonable prices, opaque offers and an ill-adapted user experience. With a handful of brilliant engineers from Free, we aim to become the European leader in connected homes.” The project is backed by Xavier Niel.
On Maddyness, Dany El Oubari (E18) announced the launch of Comin, an application to compare and order taxi services. “Other applications have enabled customers to compare, but none of them allowed you to order your taxi directly. In just a few seconds, our users have access to the cheapest, fastest or most eco-friendly solution between Uber, Bolt and FreeNow.”
On Maddyness, Côme Fouques (E12) announced a change in the business model of his start-up Indy, which equips freelance workers with the tools for their accounting and administrative procedures. “We’ve opted for the most counterintuitive offer possible, with free access to a portion of our product.”
Read the article (in French).
In Ouest France, Guillaume Prigent (BBA 15) presented his start-up The Oasis House, which transforms large country houses into business seminar venues. “I wanted to create an alternative to Ibiza or Morocco, which fosters environmental respect, discovery and regional development.”
On BFM TV, Quentin Perraudeau (M15), co-founder of Percko with Alexis Ucko (M15), revealed their latest product, a mattress made entirely in France and offering the very best in back pain relief technology. This marks a new stage in the growth of the brand which was launched 7 years ago with posture-stimulating clothing.
Nicolas d’Aligny (M20), founder of Vinidaily, made his first TV appearance on BFM TV, to present his application which helps customers to choose their wine in a supermarket with just a simple photo and its marketplace. “We recommend the three best bottles according to your criteria, such as taste or cost, etc.”
Grazia ran a feature on Phyltres, the beauty and wellness brand co-founded by Corinne Péronne (EXEC PROG 21) which offers Damask rose “gourmet beauty shots”. “Our drinkable shots are made by starred chefs from this exceptional flower containing more than 300 active molecules, and are adapted to your skin’s needs.”
Les Échos featured “5 start-ups that will spice up your toilets”, including Well Care, co-founded by Florent Porcheron (M10). His retractable step stored under the toilet bowl won the Lépine Bronze Medal. “This object allows you to squat instead of sit on the toilet, which according to medical experts is the best position to stimulate transit and avoid constipation, haemorrhoids and a weakening of the perineum.” To avoid waste, the start-up fully manufactures, assembles and packages its products in France, using recycled plastic or wood from sustainably-managed forests.
In L’Express, Charles Lottmann (E11), founder of the anti-waste grocery network NOUS, shared his “start-upper tips” for budding entrepreneurs. His key message is don’t hesitate to ask for help! Surround yourself with people you enjoy talking to, recruit an assistant to relieve you of administrative tasks and call on the services of specialised organisations and networks. See the video (in French).
In Elle, Léa Zaslavsky (E13), author of the book Entreprendre pour le Bien Commun [Doing Business for the Common Good], shared advice on how to find a meaningful job. “We spend between seven and eight hours at work per day, which amounts to 70,000 to 80,000 hours in a lifetime, so personal accomplishment is vital. If the difference between your values and what you do at work makes you too unhappy to remain in that situation, take the risk!”
Experts
In an op-ed for Les Échos, Virginie Saks (E09) asked: “Why do intellectuals speak of a “French shipwreck” when so many investors and entrepreneurs are rushing to France, the land of prospects and promise?” She explained why we can “believe in the future of the collective environment within which we can take the risk to build and see our projects and savings prosper.”
In her column for Les Échos, Laurence Daziano (EXEC MBA 04) reveals that the “Swedish model” is not what we believe it to be. “The social situation [in Sweden] is far from perfect; there is neither a minimum wage nor a Labour Code. Collective agreements are negotiated without governmental intervention. The country is reluctant to accept an EU social policy seeking to pull its Member States up to a uniform level.”
In La Tribune, Emmanuelle Duez (E12) analyses the causes and effects of the changing attitudes to work our societies our experiencing, a genuine “shock wave” which is placing many managers in difficulty, leading to an explosion in resignations or desertions and increased tension within teams. She remains optimistic, however. “We may be seeing the emergence of a more sustainable shake-up, a form of detoxification from modernity. Through the company and work, we could be testing other ways of living and being, an attempt to find an alternative or other possibilities.”
In his column for Les Échos, Jérôme Barthélémy (E93) decodes a study led by Harvard which shows that the impact of feminisation on company performance varies according to the country and sector of activity. “The results are very clear: companies who employ women perform better than others, but only in countries and sectors where gender equality is considered important.”
On the Marianne website, Benjamin Brice (E07), author of La Sobriété Gagnante [Winning Sobriety], sets out to overturn the negative, penalising perspective often associated with this question. “I run counter to a large proportion of the French elite by saying that sobriety can be a winning factor, if we accept to make it a societal project involving technological changes, gains in efficiency and a reappraisal of our ways of life.”
BSmart questioned lawyer Jérémie Fierville (E05) on the responsibility of green finance players who promise sustainable investment solutions. “In late 2022, major asset managers reallocated their Article 9 funds and declassified them to Article 8. The savers concerned could thus consider they had been misled. What action can be taken? Begin by trying to reach a friendly settlement via the mediator and the Financial Market Authority. Otherwise, launch civil or even criminal proceedings to file for compensation, on the grounds of a breach of obligation and information.”
On the Esanum website, Lucas Thiery (EXEC M21), Strategic Director of the Paris hospitals’ Digital Medical Hub and co-founder of the medical innovation fair MedInTechs, rings the alarm bell: “5% of human greenhouse gas emissions are due to national health systems.” He criticises the sector’s environmental impact assessment methods for their short-term vision, which prevents truly efficient solutions from being identified. “For example, we don’t take into account the reduction of polluting emissions linked to medical acts which have become unnecessary thanks to the development of preventive treatment.”
On the Maddyness website, Olivia Scotti (E10), co-founder with Aïcha Mansouri (E11) of the Wagli training provider specialised in new technologies, firmly believes in a Web3 which is not synonymous with speculation and pollution. “It’s not Blockchain, NFT, metaverses and CAD technologies we should shun, but the use we make of them. It is up to us to find the right use, such as the inclusion of those who do not have access to traditional banking, yet possess a smartphone in 2 out 3 cases, access to training via the learn-to-earn model, or the traceability of food products and waste. We could also include better pay for artists and the authentication of luxury goods.”
In Les Échos, Louis de Bayser (E96), Director of both the Bayser gallery which specialises in old drawings, and the Cultural Events Agency (AEC), organiser of Fine Arts Paris & La Biennale, is pleased to observe that “Paris has regained its appeal for antique collectors”, having suffered greatly from the COVID crisis and international competition.
According to The Times, Marie Quéru (M04) is the “new Marie Kondo.” This former head of luxury partnerships for Printemps in Paris has developed an “interior ecology”, a 5-step programme to re-assess everything you possess, and thus gain in space. However, instead of asking yourself if each vase or cushion “brings you happiness”, as Marie Kondo suggests, she recommends you ask yourself that question before buying the item. In other words, she advocates less consumption instead of throwing items away after buying, in the same way as it is healthier to have a balanced diet than to overeat and then diet. This attitude is also more environmentally friendly, as she explains in her book L’Écologie d’Intérieur: Vivre Mieux avec Moins [Interior Ecology, Living Better with Less]
Culture
Augustin Trapenard’s show La Grande Librairie on France 5 TV welcomed Alain Damasio1 (E91), whose science-fiction and fantasy novels have been bestsellers for 20 years. The author spoke in particular of his latest success, Les Furtifs. “I explore our ability to appropriate digital tools and place ourselves in addictive reward-and-constraint loops; in other words, how we create our own systems of alienation.”
France Musique interviewed singer Laure Slabiak (BBA 99), alias BlauBird, on the release of her second album, Le Ciel Est Partout. “An opus which blends languages and genres, and takes the listener on an inner journey beyond linguistic and musical boundaries.”
1 Pseudonym
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