ESSEC Appointments: Élysée, Kering, Schneider Electric, ADP, M6, Choiseul, Forbes…

Business leaders in major French and international companies, high-level public officials, and 20 alumni recognised by Choiseul, Forbes and Who’s Who! Our round-up of recent appointments within the ESSEC network. 

Emmanuel Moulin (E92) has been appointed Secretary General to the Presidency of the French Republic, following on from Alexis Kohler (E95). Also a graduate of ENA and Science Po, he began his career at the French Treasury as assistant in the Transport office, followed by the Monetary Policy office. He was then appointed Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank in Washington and Secretary General of the Paris Club, prior to a stint in the business world with Citigroup. He returned to the public sector to take up the position of Deputy Chief of Staff to Christine Lagarde, then Minister for the Economy, Finance & Industry, and went on to become an economic advisor to President Nicolas Sarkozy. At the end of Sarkozy’s presidential term, Emmanuel returned to the private sector, holding the successive roles of Assistant Managing Director and Deputy Chairman of the Eurotunnel group, before being made Managing Director of Mediobanca bank. He made a second return to politics, initially as Chief of Staff to Bruno Lemaire, Minister for the Economy, Finance and Relaunch, then Director General of the French Treasury, and lastly as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. 

Nezha Hayat (E84) has been appointed Director General of the Mohammed VI Investment Fund. She began her career in Spain at various banks in sovereign debt restructuring, M&A and corporate finance. She then moved to Morocco, first as Deputy Director of Offshore Banking at BNP Paribas, then at Société Générale, where she spent 20 years heading up various subsidiaries. During this time, she was also a member on the boards of institutions such as the Moroccan Securities Ethics Council (CDVM), the Professional Association of Brokerage Firms (APSB), the Casablanca Stock Exchange and the Moroccan Employers’ Confederation (CGEM). She then became Chair of the Moroccan Capital Market Authority. She also chairs the Club of Women Administrators in Morocco (CFA Maroc). 

Sébastien Picot (E04) has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Somfy Group, the leading French manufacturer of motorisation systems, automated opening systems in homes and buildings, and smart homes. He began his career at OC&C Strategy Consultants, before spending almost 15 years with Essilor Group (now EssilorLuxottica) in various marketing, sales and general subsidiary management positions in Europe and Latin America. He then joined Somfy as Head of Sales and Brands.  

Johann Dupont (E98) has been appointed General Manager of Abenex Capital, a growth and buyout capital company specialising in SMEs and ISEs, with €1.5 billion under management. He began his career as a financial controller with Peugeot in Portugal, before moving on to strategic consulting at Bain & Company for investment funds in Paris, Saudi Arabia and New York. He then became Head of Strategy at Editis, the co-leader of the French publishing industry, under LBO at the time, and Associate Director of Mergers and Acquisitions at Publicis Group, where he concluded some thirty acquisitions, notably in the United States, Europe, China and India. He also helped establish three venture capital funds dedicated to the digital economy, in collaboration with Orange. 

Adam Oubuih (E07) has been appointed Managing Director of Avec Group, healthcare operator and social enterprise, providing care for 1.7 million patients with over 10,000 employees and 285 establishments. Also a graduate of ENA, he worked at InfraRed Capital Partners, BNP Paribas Clean Energy Fund and Société Générale before joining Caisse des Dépôts Group as Deputy Regional Director for the Grand Est region, then Director of Industry, Logistics and Complex Property Investment. He then became Managing Director of Victoires Haussmann, a property asset management company. 

Hélène Steiner (E09) has been appointed General Manager of Eqyo, a Saint-Gobain subsidiary that designs and manufactures tailor-made components on demand. She has spent most of her career with the industrial group, first in strategic planning and then in finance, including a three-year stint in the United States. 

Leslie Camus (M00) has been appointed Managing Director of Maison Johanès Boubée, the wine merchant subsidiary of the Carrefour Group. Following her early days at Unilever, she joined McCain Foods, where she worked in marketing, CRM and retail for 20 years, rising to the position of Vice-President of Agriculture for Continental Europe. 

Mehdi Benabadji (E92) has been appointed CEO of Ginori 1735, a Florentine firm dedicated to the art of living and high-end décor, within the Kering Group. He started out as a consultant before moving into the luxury goods sector, notably in auditing at Louis Vuitton, retail at Berluti, international development at Hermès and marketing at La Redoute. He then joined Kering, where he has held managerial roles for over 20 years. He was previously CEO of Brioni. 

Nathalie Berger Duquene (E97) has been appointed CEO of Creed, a subsidiary of Kering Beauty. She began her career at LVMH with Guerlain before joining the L'Oréal Group, where she held various marketing and general management positions, notably with Lancôme and Armani Beauty. She then joined the Estée Lauder Group, where she was successively Managing Director of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for Tom Ford Beauty and Kilian Paris, Senior Vice-President of Tom Ford Beauty, and Global General Manager of Balmain Beauté. 

Stéphane Decaux (E92) has been appointed Managing Director of the champagne house Piper-Heidsieck. He started out in marketing in the mass retail sector at Danone, Coca-Cola and Lindt, before moving on to luxury goods in management positions for Hennessy at LVMH, then Krups within the Seb Group. He co-founded Lightinderm in the cosmetics sector, which he developed alongside his role as Director of Business Units at Baccarat. He then created Y Experience, an investment and family office fund specialising in the art of living. Most recently, he was entrusted with the general management of a business unit within the Terroirs & Vignerons de Champagne Group, the leader in the cooperative sector with the Nicolas Feuillatte brand, among others.  

Annick Vincenty (E97) has been appointed CEO of Heineken France. She has spent most of her career with the Dutch brewer in a variety of marketing and sales roles, focusing on innovation, brand management and digital transformation, and contributing in particular to developing the Desperados, Affligem and Mort Subite brands. She also managed the Belgian subsidiary Alken-Maes. 

Baptiste Chaboud (M10) has been appointed CEO of BD France, a medical technology company with 2,600 employees and two sites in France. He has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 10 years, in purchasing, business development and consulting roles. He began his career at BD France as Director of the Diabetes Unit, then became Sales Director for Specialised Nutrition at Danone, before returning to BD France as Director of the Life Sciences - Integrated Diagnostic Systems Unit. 

Franck Foureau (EXEC PROG 23) has been appointed Managing Director - France of Stiebel-Eltron. He has spent most of his career in a variety of commercial roles with this manufacturer of eco-responsible heating, cooling and hot water solutions. He was also Sales Director at Nibe France, a manufacturer of industrial machinery. 

Frédéric Godemel (E88) has been appointed Executive Vice President of Energy Management at Schneider Electric. He has spent most of his career at the group, in general management positions for almost 20 years, including stints in China and the United Arab Emirates.

Christelle de Robillard (E08) has been appointed Deputy Executive Officer for Finance, Strategy & Development at the ADP Group. She began her career in the Budget Department of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, where she was responsible for media and later transport policy, prior to joining the ADP group where she worked for 10 years, rising to the position of Deputy Chief Financial Officer. She then joined the Executive Board of the Icade property group as Chief Financial Officer.  

Marc Richter (E11) has been appointed Deputy Managing Director of Nexhos, which combines solar power with coworking and coliving assets. He began his career as a parliamentary assistant at the French National Assembly before moving into finance, first at EY as an analyst and auditor, then at BPCE in the general inspectorate. He then shifted towards the property sector, firstly with the Pichet Group, where he spent 10 years, rising to the position of Managing Director of Heritage Activities, and then at Princip, where he became Managing Director of Property Development. 

Benjamin Maurice (E97) has been appointed General Delegate of Employment and Vocational Training (DGEFP). Also a graduate of Sciences Po, he began his career in marketing and sales at SNCF. He then joined ENA and was posted to the Ministry of Health and Sport, where he was Head of the Private Hospital Financing Office and Operational Director of the "Activity-Based Costing" Mission. He then became Head of the Collective Labour Relations Office at the General Directorate of Labour, before joining the France Télévisions Group as Director of Social Dialogue, then the Ministry of Transport as social adviser to Elisabeth Borne, followed by the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS). After working on assignments in occupational health, the “Ségur de la Santé” (health sector reform), the Association for the Employment of Executives (APEC), the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), the National Institute of Public Service (INSP) and Employment Protection Plan (PSE), he became Chief of Staff to Olivier Dussopt, Minister of Labour, Employment and Integration. He then returned to the IGAS for assignments in primary prevention in health establishments, psychiatry in Toulouse and the PACA Regional Directorate for the Economy, Employment, Labour and Solidarity (DREETS). He also chairs the board of the RATP Staff Pension Fund and teaches Employment Policy at Sciences Po. 

Jonathan Curiel (E05) has been appointed Director of Radio for the M6 Group (RTL, Fun Radio and RTL2). Also a graduate of Sciences Po Paris, he started off as economic and social chargé d’affaires at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York. He then joined the TV network M6 in the role of Deputy Coordinator before going on to become Managing Director of Paris Première and Deputy Managing Director of programmes at M6, W9 and 6ter. Until now, he was Director of Content at France Inter, responsible for programming and digital. 

Paul Guyot-Sionnest (E14) has been appointed Chief of Staff to François-Henri Pinault and Francesca Bellettin, respectively CEO and Deputy Director responsible for the development of Kering's fashion houses. He began his career in finance with Crédit Agricole in New York followed by Lazard in Paris. He then moved into politics, via the French Ministry of Agriculture, and went on to become advisor to Bruno Le Maire for five years. Later, he joined the Kering Group where he worked for almost 10 years, rising to the position of Director of External Affairs and Chief of Staff to the CEO of Saint Laurent. 

Stéphanie Lehuger (E08) has been appointed Chief of Staff at Iconic Art, a New York investment fund specialising in contemporary and modern art. She began her career at the United Nations before moving to Eurogroup Consulting. She then became Director of Strategy and Operations at Unis-Cité, France's civic service operator, before taking on the dual role of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer for the Touch & Sell sales enablement platform. Following that, she continued in the entrepreneurial world, holding management positions to help launch the start-ups Bayes Impact, a digital solution for citizen organisations and public services, and Action Desk, a data management software program. She has developed expertise in artificial intelligence, alongside a specialisation in philosophy and ethics, which she shares on The French Philosopher podcast and in inspirational workshops, training courses and conferences. She is also the author of Un président philosophe, published by L'Harmattan (read our interview). 

Stéphane Traineau (EXEC M07) has been appointed head of the national Chinese judo teams. As a former French, European and World judo champion himself, as well as a two-time Olympic bronze medallist, he has always maintained ties with high-level sport. At the end of his competitive career, he became sports and communications advisor for the department of Vendée. He then worked as a professor at the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP) before coaching the French men's judo team and taking over the management of high-level sport at the French Judo Federation. After a stint as an adviser to the Ministry of Sport, he branched out into the private sector, taking the helm of the Vit'Halles Fitness Group, and into entrepreneurship, launching the Carré Final communications agency, the kimSport Academy coaching solution and SporTech Kano, which specialises in high-level sports data. At the same time, he returned to the tatami, first as director of the French judo teams, then as coach of the Kazakhstan national team and in particular of Yeldos Smetov, who won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Clara Chappaz (E12), Deputy Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy, has received the Who's Who d'Or 2025 award in the Commitment & Public Action Category. This major figure in tech who needs no introduction has held various management positions within the Zalora Group in Bangkok and Singapore, spent time at BCG in New York, co-founded the start-up Lullaby in Boston, held the position of Vice-President International at Lyst in London, then Chief Business Officer at the unicorn Vestiaire Collective, and directed La French Tech – in a career spanning just 10 years. 

Serge Pierre Besanger (E84) has received a Gold Medal from the National Assembly for his longstanding commitment to blood donation, in both civilian and military roles. Having held general management positions with the Leroy-Somer group, he is currently a company director and teacher. He sits on the Kongsberg advisory board and is involved in the administration boards of certain subsidiaries of the EIT. He also presides over a number of blood donor charities. A Knight of the National Order of Merit, he has also been awarded a number of Commendations from the Armed Forces as well as Foreign Affairs and Voluntary Reservist medals. 

A special mention for the alumni featuring in the Choiseul ranking...

Ten alumni are among the 200 business leaders under 40 in the Choiseul 2025 list showcasing those set to play a key role in the economy: Matthias Baccino (E10), Director of European Markets at Trade Republic; Clara Chappaz (E12), Minister for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies; Jonathan Cherki (E11), founder of Contentsquare; Christelle de Robillard (E08), Deputy Executive Officer for Finance, Strategy & Development at ADP Group; Sarah Finkelstein (E09), Chief of Staff to the Managing Director of Amundi; Ludovic de Gromard (E11), founder of Chance; Mikael Guery (E11), Sales Director - France at Sephora; Paul Guyot-Sionnest (E14), Chief of Staff to Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault (see above); Pierre-Emmanuel Saint-Esprit (E16), Director of Circular Economy at the Manutan Group and co-founder of the Global Circular Economy Chair at ESSEC; and Marthe Seguin (E13), Chief of Staff to the Managing Director of Criteo. 

Two alumni appear in the Choiseul 2025 list of 40 committed business leaders: Thibaut Hyvernat (E03), CEO of Stermied, which under his leadership has reduced its carbon emissions by 85% and its water consumption by 35% in three years, and which has made 60% of its employees shareholders; and Benoît Jaubert (E92), Managing Director of Optic 2000, which has a proactive CSR approach focusing on access to healthcare, the second life of products, inclusion, responsible products and the energy transition.  

Two alumni appear in the Choiseul 40 Future of Law, a new ranking that recognises legal entrepreneurs, legaltech leaders, legal directors, lawyers, researchers and members of NGOs or organisations playing a key role in the evolution of the legal ecosystem and shaping the future  of law, aiming to make it more proactive and more accessible: Adrien Basdevant (E12), partner at Entropy; and Rodolphe Elineau (E10), partner at Cleary Gottlieb. 

... and in the Forbes ranking! 

Two alumni appear in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe: Martin d'Agay (E22) and Vincent Garcia (E22), co-founders of Kikleo, a solution to combat food waste in the catering industry which, in its three years of existence, has already raised $2.2 million and saved 240 tonnes of food, the equivalent of 400,000 meals and 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.  

Two alumni appear in the Forbes 30 Under 30 France: Quentin Amaudry (E24), co-founder of Mendo alongside Alexandre Pinon-Jacques (E19), which raised €3.5 million for its virtual assistant that helps people learn about generative artificial intelligence tools; and Thibaut Pellegrin (E24), co-founder of start-up Metreecs, which raised $3 million for its demand forecasting technology to help retailers optimise their supplies. 

Last but not least, two alumnae appear in the Forbes 50 Women Over 50 France: Béatrice de Clermont Tonnerre (E96), who sits on the board of directors of various companies and cultural institutions after holding management positions in tech, notably at Microsoft and Google; and Fanny Picard (E92), founder of Alter Equity, a pioneering impact finance investment fund (see also our interview).

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