Australia and New Zealand are home to more than 250 graduates and students, both natives and expats. Jean Boussard (E76), President of ESSEC Alumni’s Australia & New Zealand Chapter, tells us more about the local community – and the services he offers them.

ESSEC Alumni: How famous is the ESSEC brand over there?

Jean Boussard: I assisted Jeanne Bellec (E03), former Marketing & Communications Director at ESSEC Asia-Pacific, in an exploratory visit in 2016 to increase the ESSEC brand awareness. We’ve been doing better than ever since. ESSEC Business School now partners with several Australian universities and ESSEC Asia Pacific is making many efforts to attract Australians to the Singapore Campus. 

EA: How many alumni are there in Australia and New Zealand?

J. Boussard: It is a well-known fact that Australia and New Zealand were “shut down” to the outside world during the COVID years from January 2020 to early 2022. Melbourne even detains the sad record of being the most confined metropolis worldwide (close to 365 days). Needless to say, our local community melted like snow in summer under the fierce Australian sun. However our alumni are coming back!  We currently are a network of more than 250 graduates in various sectors such as finance, pharmaceuticals, industry, retail, energy, hospitality, government, NGOs, arts, sports, and sustainability. 

EA: What is the economics situation in Australia and New Zealand? 

J. Boussard: The pandemic had a huge impact. Australia and New Zealand both embraced a drastic and radical strategy which almost destroyed the economy. The 2019-2020 financial year showed a net debt at A$ 500 billions with 300 due to supporting measures, and a A$ 85 billions deficit against a projected A$ 5 billions surplus in December 2019. We could very well face a recession in 2023 given the world tensions, the ongoing difficult dialogue with China who is a major trading partner for our exports, the exposure of Australia to climate change as the dramatic fires and floods showed between 2020 and 2022, and inflation. Challenging times indeed! 

EA: With that in mind, what opportunities are there for alumni in Australia and New Zealand? 

J. Boussard: France has a very good image here, and the Australian and Kiwi economies have always had a strong need for highly qualified foreign expertise. Both countries need and want to expand their populations back and are promoting the intake of both migrants and students. There are more Priority Migration Skilled Occupations than ever, offering opprtunities in work categories such as building, health, new technologies of information and communication, and engineering. 

EA: What makes it interesting for a foreigner to live in Australia and New Zealand?

J. Boussard: New Zealand is pristine, small and beautiful, so far away, a country of contrasts glorified by Lord of the Rings and Once Were Warriors. Kiwis are easy going, straight forward, honest. Australia has the Red Heart, deserts and tropics over 14 times the size of France; it is a glorious, vibrant, hot continent, the power house of the South Pacific. Think immense beaches, tropical rainforest, kangaroos, wildlife, the Aboriginal culture and spirituality. Australians are rough, larrikins, they love to fight. They are a people of contrast, a mix of the Mad Max saga and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

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

J. Boussard: I encourage our graduates and especially our young ones to come and see with their own eyes. However, be prepared to dive into the Anglo-Saxon culture, which is very different from the French one. ‘Down Under’ is for you if you are adventurous, and if you have the entrepreneur spirit. Also have in mind that if you’re not working for a French company, you’ll need to find a local sponsor to obtain a visa on the PMSOL. Other visa categories are open though, such as Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494), Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa (subclass 186) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa (subclass 87).

EA: What is the offer of ESSEC Alumni's Australia & New Zealand Chapter? 

J. Boussard: We welcome any interest from the ESSEC Alumni community regarding these two amazing countries, including business enquiries. Contact us to get some advice regarding moving in, facilitating your settlement and your integration, growing your local network, getting access to local professional opportunities, and/or attending get-togethers with fellow international and expatriate alumni. Once you’re a member, also feel free to share contents, job offers, ideas and projects on our online group. Networking is all about connecting with the community!

EA: What events do you organize? 

J. Boussard: In the recent years we mostly held get-togethers and online workshops on themes such as retail and wholesale in a post-COVID world. We have heaps of good fun events in line for 2023, from live LinkedIn podcasts with experts to e-sessions on work study live in ANZ, casual meet & greets with other French management schools and local businesses, Australian wine & cheese pairing tutorials, and mentorship speed dating. Also we’ll be taking part in ESSEC’s Working Abroad in APAC seminar on March 13^th to advise students willing to come here for an internship. 

EA: Who are the members of your team? 

J. Boussard: We have dynamic delegates all around the country: Marianne Yvernel (M11) and Carolyn Etherington (M09) in Sydney, Fanny Agret (IMHI 18) and Christophe Brulliard (E92) in Melbourne, Corinne Mouradian O’Connor (IMHI 02) in Adelaide, and Madly Bodin (E09) as a regional delegate in charge of our communication. 

EA: Do you need more volunteers to get involved?

J. Boussard: We invite more volunteers to join our team and assist us in organizing events and developing our social media communication. Also, we wish to set up a new delegation in Auckland (New Zealand). Get in touch! 

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

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