ESSEC Alumni in Norway: “The French Grandes Écoles have a solid reputation here”

Low unemployment and criminality rates, high quality of life and gender equality performance… Cécile Moroni Engevik (E08), President of our Norway Chapter, tells us more about life in her country – and the services she provides to our local community. 

ESSEC Alumni: How strong is the ESSEC brand awareness in Norway?

Cécile Moroni: The French concept of ‘Grandes Écoles’ has a solid reputation. Our current prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre studied at Sciences Po in France (Sciences Po), which drives interest for French degrees and alumni networks in the country.

EA: What are the profiles and backgrounds of our alumni in Norway? 

C. Moroni: We have identified about 40 graduates, most of them French and living in Oslo, some in Stavanger, a city historically driven by the oil & gas industry. They typically work in energy (the country’s biggest industry), bank & finance, media, and FMCG. Not to mention a PHD student and even a stand-up comedian – myself! 

EA: Are there many opportunities for our alumni in Norway? 

C. Moroni: Being a native certainly is an advantage as Norway is a small country where recruitment often goes through acquaintances, making the job market a hard nut to crack. However, once you have, you can build a successful career, all the more since the unemployment rate is extremely low in the country.

EA: What local perks may strike a foreigner settling in Norway?

C. Moroni: Norway rates among the country with the highest quality of life. The work life balance is appreciable, the outdoor activities are a corner stone of the lifestyle, and the gender equality is among the best in the world. Also, Norway has almost no criminality and puts family and children at heart of the daily life.

EA: What advice do you have for our alumni moving in Norway?

C. Moroni: Scandinavians are usually perfectly fluent in English. This is obviously very pleasant for expats but Norwegian do appreciate that foreigners are curious about their culture and make efforts to learn their language. Hence my advice: take time to learn Norwegian (at least bokmål) and learn about the country’s history.

EA: What are the offer and services of ESSEC Alumni’s Norway Chapter? 

C. Moroni: We are a small but loyal and committed team offering social gathering twice a year, a professional network for those who search job opportunities and a local representation of ESSEC Alumi completing the services offered in Paris (webinars, courses, and so on). Most recently, we participated in a panel discussion at the French Norwegian Chamber of Commerce together with alumni from HEC, INSEAD and Sciences Po. This was co-organized by the French Institute and increased our visibility. 

EA: Do you need volunteers to get involved in your team? 

C. Moroni: We are currently calling for volunteers and hope for a brilliant and energic team to be in place before Christmas. Reach out to us!

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

Do you like this content? Discover our 125 clubs and chapters - and join ESSEC Alumni now for more! 

Image: © AdobeStock