“I will be looking for a more sedentary position soon in order to improve the balance between family and professional life.”
Nice Premium: Tell us about the company you work for and your role in it?
Pierre-Emmanuel JOUY: Alexander Proudfoot founded his consulting agency in 1946. Today, Proudfoot Consulting is an international management consulting firm active worldwide to improve the operational and financial performance of large companies. I am a “process consultant” within a project team. My main role is to implement the solutions required to solve our clients’ issues. The critical phase of a project is the installation of new tools and new working methods.
NP: How long have you been in this position?
PEJ: I have been in this position for 3 years.
NP: What have you done since graduating? What is your professional background?
PEJ: I did my military service at the RSMA in Reunion. Then, I was a sales executive in Germany for a direct marketing company. After that, I co-founded a company in the ICT field, and finally, I settled in London, where after some small jobs, I joined the Proudfoot firm.
NP: Have you always wanted to pursue this career, or is it the result of opportunities?
PEJ: A bit of both. I applied to consulting firms for my end-of-year internship without success. And when the opportunity arose at Proudfoot, I seized it.
NP: What is your educational background, what degree(s) have you obtained?
PEJ: I graduated from IPAG and am considering enrolling in an executive MBA in the next 5 years.
NP: How are graduates from your former school perceived in your professional field?
PEJ: IPAG is not known within my firm.
NP: What advice would you give to students considering a career in your sector? In your opinion, is it better to start with SMEs or large corporations?
PEJ: If a career in operational consulting tempts you, you must enjoy traveling (leaving on Sunday evening and returning on Friday afternoon), changing teams and clients every 6 months on average with international geographical mobility. I believe that the offered position and growth opportunities should be the selection criteria, not the size of the company.
NP: Why did you choose to work internationally?
PEJ: It was IPAG’s curriculum (double international specialization) that encouraged me. I find it very enriching to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds. (“Let us enrich ourselves from our differences” is my motto.)
NP: What are your current prospects for advancement, your professional aspirations?
PEJ: I plan to continue in consulting for now. I will be looking for a more sedentary position soon in order to improve the balance between family and professional life.
