Franck Litzler (M07), Member of the ESSEC Alumni US Chapter, tells us about our local community – and the activities he and his fellow volunteers offer to them. If you are a graduate or a student in the area, join their online group!

ESSEC Alumni: What is your personal history with the US? 

Franck Litzler: I have been living here since 2012. The US, and more specifically New York City, is now home to me, both emotionally and administratively. I work in investment management at Merrill Lynch. My clients are successful entrepreneurs and business owners, mainly on the East Coast. 

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

F. Litzler: We are about two thousand ESSEC graduates and students. The country is so large that a more appropriate breakdown of our community is a regional one. The majority are in the Greater New York area and work in Finance, Luxury, Consumer Retail and Real Estate / Hotel Management. There is also a growing number of Tech entrepreneurs in New York’s “Silicone Alley”. Boston also has a fairly large number of alumni, in Healthcare, Biotech, and Consulting. On the West Coast, alumni gravitate in San Francisco, from Mega Tech firms to startups, and in Los Angeles, in the Entertainment and Retail sectors. Most are urban and choose to live in cities rather than in outer suburbs, as long commutes, which are a common part of life for Americans, can be off-putting to European expatriates. There are only a few American-born alumni. However this might change thanks to ESSEC’s graduate programs such as its MBA, as Americans are more open to pursuing those degrees abroad, after earning their formative University education in the US.

EA: How is the economic climate currently in the US? 

F. Litzler: I think 2025 will be paradoxical in the US. On the one side, the economy should continue to do well, as any negative effects from the policies of the new administration would take several months to slow down business. On the other side, corporations and a large part of the population are already turning fairly pessimistic on the heels of the brand new tariffs – all the more since economic cycles tend to be more violent in the US than in Europe. When the country enters a recession, unemployment can rise by several percentage points in only a year or so. So when considering the US for a job or for growing one’s business nowadays, it is becoming paramount to consider the sector. Some fields, like Luxury and Marketing, are at risk to be severely impacted, while others, like Technology and Banking, should remain relatively unscathed.

EA: How does this ‘Trump effect’ affect our alumni’s prospects?

F. Litzler: The Trump effect may be more of an emotional one. Some may feel a sense of rejection by the country where they are expatriated. This already happened in the early 2000s. Many compatriots here looked to Asia as it was opening up to globalization, while George W. Bush had subpar relations with France – one might recall the renaming of French Fries to Freedom Fries… However, in the wake of the Great Financial Crisis of 2009, and with the 8-year administration of Barack Obama, the US regained its attractiveness. In other words, history shows that anyone seeking to increase their exposure to the US should look past the current political environment. I am positive that the US will remain a land of opportunity for the next decade or two at least. That being said, on a shorter term, the Trump Administration will have an impact on work visas for sure. It will still be possible to get a job or establish a business in the US, but our alumni should not neglect the increasingly complex legal ramifications of obtaining the right visa.

EA: Is the ESSEC brand considered an asset on the US job market? 

F. Litzler: Local alumni are great ambassadors for the brand, and European multinationals established in the US are keen to recruit them as they are considered to have a global prospective and the ability to act as a bridge between cultures. The fact that our school’s programs rank high in international rankings also works in our favor for idiosyncratically American situations as it is a major criteria of selectivity here. Last but not least, it has been a wise strategy for ESSEC to sign degree partnerships by discipline (Engineering with Columbia University, Design with Parsons School, for example) and to open an ESSEC Hub in New York, aimed to increase our brand recognition and build stronger relationships with local corporations and with our community. 

EA: What practical advice do you have for our alumni moving in the US?

F. Litzler: Be humble and pragmatic. The US is one of very few countries in the world that will not perceive someone coming from one of the best European-based business schools as a rare resource by default. In that, becoming an expatriate here feels very different at the outset than becoming an expatriate in most other countries. If you want to do well, network relentlessly, as this is not only wildly acceptable, but very much encouraged in American culture. Start with your fellow alumni: you can identify them easily in the ESSEC Alumni Directory, through our page on the ESSEC Alumni website, and in our LinkedIn group. Then try and be exposed to as many Americans as possible to gradually absorb the local specificities. 

EA: What are the offer and services of the ESSEC Alumni US Chapter? 

F. Litzler: First off, note that we have local branches in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Diego, and San Francisco. Each organizes several events a year, opportunistically. In New York, we just had a wonderful Masterclass on Artificial Intelligence with Julien Malaurent (M09 & PHD 12), Associate Dean of ESSEC, and a Networking Cocktail with Gerard Despinoy, Executive Director of the Master in Finance. The San Francisco team will host a Happy Hour with EDHEC, Sciences Po, HEC, X, and ENSAM alumni on April 23^rd in Palo Alto, as well as a Networking Cocktail with Matthew Gibb, Director of International Relations at ESSEC, on June 2^nd in Downtown San Francisco.

EA: What about the upcoming Gala Benefit in New York? 

F. Litzler: We will be hosting the 4^th annual ESSEC NYC Gala on May 15^th along with the ESSEC Foundation. The goal of the evening is to collect funds for ESSEC Foundation’s endowment fund, which supports social scholarships, campus rehabilitation, academic excellence, and responsible entrepreneurship, and reinforces our school’s independence and financial solidity. This year, the event will take place in a new venue, the trendy Crosby Street Hotel, thanks to his General Manager Thomas Woynar (IMHI 13). Shout out to him! We will start with a cocktail followed by an outstanding dinner, and conduct a live auction with delightful prizes. I am pleased to say this is already a tremendous success as it is sold out.

EA: You will also be bestowing the 2025 Visionary Award during the night… 

F. Litzler: This award honors an outstanding member of our community who has reached exceptional levels of professional and personal achievements. After Laetitia de Cayeux (E00) and Jonathan Cherki (E11), we are delighted to recognize Hervé Hoppenot (E83) for his remarkable leadership and inspiring contributions as President and CEO of Incyte.

EA: Who are the members of your team?

F. Litzler: ESSEC USA Board members are François-Olivier Luiggi (IMHI 92), Marion Leydier (E97), Anne de Louvigny Stone (E83), Philippe Berdugo (E10), Bruno Vinciguerra (E85), Daniel Schimmel (E91), Alain Barbet (E80), Anne de Broca Hoppenot (E82), Anne Catherine Nielsen (IMHI 96), and Sumer Das (BBA 21). Our City Chapter Presidents are Ludivine Bindingnavile (BBA 99) in Chicago, Ghadi Hobeika (E06) in Los Angeles, Caroline Waddington Boisserpe (E08) in Miami, Philippe Berdugo (E10) in New York, Lydie Laperal-Rocha (BBA 91) in San Diego, and Vincent Toesca (E99) in San Francisco. Each of the City Chapters also have their own team of dedicated board members. You can find their list on their ESSEC Alumni Chapter Page. A big thank you to our vibrant and large network of volunteers in the US!

EA: Do you need more volunteers to get involved? 

F. Litzler: The more the merrier! We are always keen on launching new project. In New York we would benefit from a more compelling social media presence, and in other branches, new volunteers could be instrumental in organizing more events, for example.

Join our US Chapter and our 125 clubs and chapters!

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

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