Anne-Cécile de Joode (E05), leader of ESSEC Alumni’s Alsace Club  tells us how her team rallies and runs the local network of 130 alumni. 

ESSEC Alumni: What are the profiles of ESSEC alumni in your region?

Anne-Cécile de Joode: We have graduates from all the programmes here, from the Grande Ecole to BBA and Master’s, etc. Most of them are over the age of 35 but we’re currently seeing younger graduates arriving. With the exception of a few free agents, the community is based mainly in Strasbourg, as well as Obernai and Colmar. Many are apparently not native to the Alsace region and joined us specifically to meet people. That said, they tend to settle for the long term here; in 5 years, I’ve only seen 2 departures, which is a lower figure than that of new arrivals.

EA: What opportunities does the region hold for alumni?

A.-C. de Joode: We have a solid economic basin with activity hubs in Strasbourg, Obernai, Molsheim, Colmar and Sélestat. There’s plenty of work and hardly any unemployment here, regardless of the sector, from automotive (Punch Powerglide, Peugeot) to pharmaceuticals (Merck), consumer goods (Kronenbourg, Mars), or services (IT, consulting) and so on. We also boast the presence of several major companies like Wurth, Hager, Socomec, Liebherr and Schmidt, who tend to ‘hunt’ Parisian graduates to bring them here, especially in sales positions. And let’s not forget entrepreneurs and start-ups, of course.

EA: Apart from economic aspects, what does your region have to offer? 

A.-C. de Joode: This is a beautiful region with a pleasant climate, and, in my view, a far better quality of life than Paris has to offer. And if you really miss Paris, the high-speed train can take you there from Strasbourg in under 2 hours. Being located along a border also makes this a very international region, with a culture of hospitality and openness, which I think helps new arrivals to settle in easily, whether French or foreign.

EA: What advice do you have for alumni looking to move to your region? 

A.-C. de Joode: Our club is a fantastic way to make contacts! Conviviality and easy access are our core aim. More generally, I’d recommend Strasbourg as a first choice if possible. It’s a lively and cosmopolitan city, but on a human scale. There are two other things to be aware of before coming: firstly, many recruiters look for German speakers, given the proximity to Germany, and secondly, the location of European institutions here means property prices are relatively high.

EA: What actions does your club lead?

A.-C. de Joode: We organise a ‘Stam’ (dinner) every month, alternating between a Wednesday and a Thursday, in addition to a career workshop, a cultural outing and one or two company tours per year. We also have close partnerships with ESCP alumni, who get together with us for afterwork events once or twice a year, and with the Grandes Écoles d’Alsace Club, which enables us to take part in numerous activities. I’d like to point out that for any event, our members can come with their partners or other guests, which also helps to expand our network. We have a Whatsapp group and our ESSEC Alumni webpage.

EA: What are your projects for the future? 

A.-C. de Joode: We’d like to develop actions around environmental and social transition (climate fresk, a vegetarian Stam, etc.) and launch a quarterly newsletter featuring local alumni and brief reports on our events.

EA: Who are the members of your team?

A.-C. de Joode: Our office includes Anne-Géraldine Lavielle (E92) for career matters, Cosme Quiot (EXEC M06) and Elizabeth Ascherl (EXEC MBA 16) for company visits, Marc Coustet (E88) for the monthly Stams and the partnership with ESCP, Éric Befort (M04) for the partnership with the Grandes Écoles d’Alsace Club and Benoit Ghestem (EXEC MBA 03) for the cultural outings. We’d like to recruit a few more volunteers, including younger alumni, to form pairs, diversify our profiles and develop our activities. Don’t hesitate to contact us!

Join the Alsace Club on our website.

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni
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