Club Midi-Pyrénées: ‘Occitanie attracts qualified professionals as well as retirees and tourists’

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ESSEC Alumni met Laura Nguyen (E06), head of the Midi-Pyrénées Club. She introduces us to the richness of the ESSEC alumni community and the strengths of a region that combines economic dynamism with quality of life.

ESSEC Alumni: Could you introduce us to the Midi-Pyrénées alumni community?

Laura Nguyen: The club brings together nearly 600 ESSEC graduates with highly diverse profiles: business leaders, senior executives, managers in various sectors. About half are originally from the region, while the other half have moved here, often for professional reasons. The vast majority are based in Toulouse, but they all share the desire to establish strong, lasting roots in the area.

EA: What are the main sectors in which alumni in the region work?

L. Nguyen: Aerospace is key, with Airbus, Thales, ATR, Safran and the whole ecosystem gathered within Aerospace Valley, the world’s leading cluster in this field. But we also have alumni in digital innovation, engineering, scientific research (CNES, ONERA, universities), tourism, agri-food and biotechnology. Toulouse, as a major university city, also attracts many researchers and students.

EA: What opportunities does the region offer graduates?

L. Nguyen: The region is experiencing sustained growth, still driven by aerospace (with turnover expected to rise by +7.2% in 2025), but also by services, digital technologies and engineering. With a population of 6.2 million and rising demographics, Occitanie attracts qualified professionals, retirees and tourists alike. Beyond the economy, alumni are drawn by the climate, quality of life and cultural vibrancy.

EA: What advice would you give to alumni wishing to settle in Midi-Pyrénées?

L. Nguyen: I advise them to get involved in local life by joining cultural, sports or social associations. And above all, to take part in ESSEC Alumni events: it’s the best way to quickly make connections, integrate professionally and benefit from the synergies our network provides.

EA: What activities and projects does the club run?

L. Nguyen: We regularly organise lunches, afterwork gatherings and career events. These are friendly and useful moments that foster mutual support among graduates. We want to strengthen the career dimension, particularly to support alumni seeking employment. The club relies on an eight-member volunteer committee, a close-knit team that helps me a lot, especially with communication and our exchanges with the ESSEC Alumni Association.

In fact, on Thursday 9 October we are organising an event dedicated to careers and networking in a friendly setting: the rooftop of Mama Shelter in Toulouse. Isabelle Frappat, Director of ESSEC Alumni Communities in France, and Elisabeth Dos Anjos, Alumni Relations Manager at ESSEC Alumni, will present the latest news from the ESSEC ecosystem and the various services of the Association, including the ESSEC Alumni Career Service. Register now !

👉 Are you based in Midi-Pyrénées? Join the ESSEC Alumni Midi-Pyrénées Club and come share your experiences at our upcoming events!

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