Lucie-Anne Henry, New MD of the ESSEC Foundation

Lucie-Anne Henry took over from Fabienne Riom (E81) this summer and is already in the starting blocks, with the launch of a new campaign to renovate the Grand Hall on the Cergy campus (more information).   

ESSEC Alumni: What path led you to the ESSEC Foundation?

Lucie-Anne Henry: I graduated from Skema in 2007 and have spent the last 15 years in fundraising. I worked for the Palais de la Découverte, the National University of Singapore (NUS), Sciences Po and the EDHEC Foundation, prior to joining the ESSEC Foundation in 2020, as Director of Development initially. I have always found meaning in this job, which consists in collecting private funds to finance projects in line with my personal beliefs: promoting openness and equal opportunity, encouraging excellence and innovation, or inspiring vocations and so on. I am deeply moved by the generosity of those who, through their donations, enable a graduate school to transform sustainably and offer new prospects to future generations. 

EA: What about the accomplishments of your predecessor?  

L.-A. Henry: I’d like to extend my warmest thanks to Fabienne Riom for these last four years as Executive Director of the ESSEC Foundation under the presidency of Thierry Fritsch (E80), which enabled a significant rise in fundraising, rallied more ambassadors and major donors and led to the achievement of numerous projects: the transformation of the campus with more than €8 million, thanks to a substantial donation from Accenture and many individual contributions; an increase in endowments for social scholarships; the structuring of capitalised funds, which has become a major strategic focus for the school; the creation of responsible entrepreneurship grants and the Science and Society prize to reward teachers for their committed research, and the organisation of annual galas in New York and London, etc.   

EA: What is your road map for the coming months? 

L.-A. Henry: Right now, we’re launching a campaign for the renovation of the emblematic Grand Hall on the Cergy campus. €500,000 are needed to contribute to works to this venue which has served has a meeting place and dance hall (!)  for several generations (more information). Our next task is to focus on social scholarships. In 2024/2025 the amounts increased substantially, so that requirements now stand at €2 million in order to help more than 400 students. Elsewhere, we will continue to defend our strategic priorities: the development of the capitalised fund to ensure the school’s long-term financial independence; supporting academic and educational excellence to maintain our position in the French, European and international rankings in a context of growing competition, supporting student entrepreneurs with responsible projects, and so on.   

EA: What message do you have for the Foundation’s donors? 

L.-A. Henry: On behalf of ESSEC, its students, teachers and all the beneficiaries of the Foundation’s actions since 2011, a huge thank you! Thank you for your support which enables us to drive the school’s ambitions. Thank you for promoting our actions in your circle, for sharing the reasons why you support the Foundation, whether for a specific project, to give something back to your alma mater, or to enable us to keep doing better, faster. You are inspiring examples which encourage others to give.  

EA: What you personally say to alumni to encourage them to donate?

L.-A. Henry: The strength of a renowned school lies notably in its students’ excellence, the quality of its teaching staff, and its graduates’ careers. It also draws on the strength of the community and engagement of its former students. Your donation, no matter how much, contributes to this momentum, and in this regard, represents an investment for the future, a concrete action with lasting impact.