Born in a town near the Amazon rainforest in Peru, Milton joined the MBS Grande Ecole Master’s programme this year as the recipient of an excellence scholarship. Having graduated in communication sciences and completed several internships in cultural, educational and environmental marketing, he seized the opportunity to study in France and define his projects relating to equal opportunities and sustainable development, which are subjects close to the heart of MBS.

Why did you join MBS?

I had the good fortune of being able to obtain a degree from a French Grande Ecole. I’d tried to come and study in France on several occasions but it was the MBS Foundation for Equal Opportunities that allowed me to achieve my dream! For me it’s the opportunity of a lifetime and the 1^st step on my way to creating a company, as I want to develop my own media company dedicated to education, culture and the environment. I came to MBS to find all the skills I will need to carry out this project, and also because I feel reflected in the values defended and conveyed by the school.

How was your arrival ?

MBS provided outstanding support. From the start, the school has helped me on all fronts and made it as easy for me to settle in Montpellier as possible. I would also like to warmly thank Sophie Gosselin, the Foundation Director. I simply had to follow the advice I was given about visas, paperwork, transport, accommodation, allowing me to focus calmly on the reason I’m here: to study! I am also very grateful to be able to study intensive French classes during the first months here, even though I’m doing the English curriculum.

At first, I was a little apprehensive of certain subjects as I didn’t know a lot about finance or management, but the students are so supportive of each other that I’m always being helped upwards! I have never felt alone and been able to make great friendships with the Dominican students in my year group. We work a lot together outside classes so that no-one is left to struggle. There’s a ‘family’ atmosphere that I love.

You are heavily involved in projects on education, equal opportunities and global responsibility. Can you tell us a little about them?

I’ve always cared about these subjects. So I try to get involved as much as I can. At home, I was a member of several youth organisations, including the Centre for Environmental and Social Research, and I volunteered for various organisations, like Sernanp, which reports to the Ministry for the Environment.

This year, I’ve committed to be a MBS PHARES tutor (helping students with disabilities to succeed in higher education). It’s a perfect occasion for great encounters, to share experiences and learn from other people. I have benefited from equal opportunities, even now with the excellence scholarship, and I know how important that is. Equal opportunity is very important for me, so I want to do my bit too.

I am also involved in protecting the environment. In Peru, I created a project called “3 Litres of Reading”, which involved giving children books in exchange for 3 plastic bottles, to fight pollution while giving them access to reading and therefore culture. Thanks to the support of the MBS Foundation, I was able to present this project and its achievements to the annual international COY 13 Conference of Youth, the official ‘youth’ section of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was held in Germany this year.

As an international student, I also seized the opportunity to become a Campus France e-ambassador to talk about my studies in France. I write a blog (in French), about my experiences as an international student in Montpellier. Have a look !

Major increases in the number and ranking of scientific publications, recruitment of renowned international teacher-researchers… MBS Faculty 2017 performances are the result of an ambitious strategy implemented in a context of considerable development and global internationalisation. Dr David Roubaud, MBS Deputy Director General and Dean of Studies and Research, analyses these promising results.

Could you start by outlining the MBS Faculty Development Strategy ?

The Faculty’s role is fundamental to achieving the “Together Further 2020” strategic plan. We are also increasing our budgetary, administrative and material means to support our faculty members. Our recruitment process is very open to diversity, with over 60% of international faculty members, 25 nationalities and over 50% of women in the faculty. We now receive over 500 applications from teacher-researchers from all over the world every year.

Often courted by major international institutions, the permanent teaching staff at MBS are passionately and determinedly committed to supporting MBS and its mission as they are very attached to the institution. Our strength lies in attracting and retaining such talent!

The agreement to adopt a new teaching regime in January 2018 was approved by all of our social and trades union partners and is an exemplary demonstration of the ability of the MBS faculty to work with our management to build the balanced and positive framework for blossoming, performing sustainably and finding the right reward for its efforts. To serve everyone.

We have built a unique, agile and inclusive framework to allow our teaching staff to express all of their talent in all of the dimensions of their unique profession. This allows them to achieve an international reputation from Montpellier, in the beautiful Occitanie region.

How does this development affect MBS faculty performance ?

In 2015, we set ambitious growth objectives for intellectual contributions of all kinds. In 2017 we had over 100 articles published in CNRS/FNEGE reference peer reviewed journals, half of which were in levels 1 and 2, or the top quality levels.

We achieved a total of 248 stars in 2017 in all disciplinary fields, illustrating the quality of our collective work, with contributions from 64 publishing professors. Moreover, 11 permanent professors published 9 level 1 CNRS/FNEGE publications in 2017, up from 3 in 2016 and 1 in 2015. Level 1 isn’t just for a few teachers at MBS! Strong level 2 dynamics are also inspiring the entire faculty upwards. It’s fascinating to encourage, watch and support.

Over and above the talent of our permanent staff, this is the result of the 2015 vision built with our Dean Dr Didier Jourdan, and achieved thanks to the strong support of our association, presided by Jean-Christophe Arguillère.

The results we have achieved have allowed us to achieve critical success in terms of publications, increasing our international visibility. This first stage was completed two years ahead of the strategic plan schedule. We are now aiming to further strengthen the quality of our publications and the social impact of our research. These are not contradictory elements. We will all address this challenge together, with passion, conviction and energy.

What are the connections between these strong results, the students and MBS values ?

Beyond the stars, which are only one element in our strategy, this creation and ‘popularisation’ of knowledge affects all our stakeholders. Above all our students, first through research based teaching at the heart of our initial and executive education programmes and through the innovations in teaching encouraged and supported by MBS.

We also carry out specific activities in line with the school values, such as the creation of a Microfinance Chair in February 2018, with the remarkable support of co-founder, Créa-sol. We have recently created a Chair of Energy and Sustainable Development, the IMPROVE Institute and a Social and Environmental Responsibility and Diversity research group, which are all influential at a national and even international level, meeting top level decision makers in the administrations or companies working on these subjects.

To sum up, what does the MBS faculty aim to achieve in future?

To maintain our agility and our ability to adapt! In teaching by using increasingly fluid, collaborative and innovative teaching methods. In research, by continuing to make large-scale investments in our human resources, creating partnerships with outstanding institutions and reinforcing the impact of our faculty members. The value created by academic research is not defined by ratios alone. It makes sense when those involved develop a long-term relationship with MBS, and serve MBS values to achieve a positive impact on all of our stakeholders.

Student satisfaction and employability are always our priorities, and research, for example, is only a means to this end.

We are therefore all humbled by these excellent results, which are the product of years of hard work. Challenged by an environment that requires we surpass ourselves, we continue to mature individually, as a group and as an institution, and to perform in the long-term. I therefore wish to express my hearty thanks to all MBS teaching staff and partners for their sustained support as they have been working with us and helping achieve these results for many years.

On Friday 16 March, Montpellier Business School and AG2R La Mondiale signed an agreement that makes the social and estate planning specialist the 45^th Major Business Partner of the management school. This partnership formalises the existing, strong support of the MBS Foundation for Equal Opportunities and must notably allow joint actions in the field of apprenticeships and continuing education.

With over 10,000 employees in France, 15 million insured parties and 500,000 business clients, the AG2R La Mondiale group is known for its expertise in the fields of planning, health, savings and retirement.

“We are very proud to have AG2R La Mondiale as one of the Montpellier Business School Major Company Partners,” declared Matthias Bauland, Deputy Dean in charge of development on signing the agreement. “This group provides social protection, has strong values and is already very actively involved with our Foundation for Equal Opportunities. By supporting the PHARES project that helps disabled students, AG2R La Mondiale finances actions worth €25,000 over 2 years, and we take the opportunity to thank them warmly for their contribution. The 2 other aspects covered by this agreement are: developing apprenticeships and implementing continuing education programmes.”

Those present to confirm the partnership agreement were Stéphane Le Roux, AG2R La Mondiale Expertise Director, Roland Niccolini, Regional Director and Frédéric Soulié, Social Engagement and Actions Manager for Languedoc-Roussillon. They demonstrated the importance of sharing MBS values with our 45^th Major Partner.

Apprenticeship as a common platform

“One of the strengths of the Montpellier Business School is its ability to serve companies and professionals. Its apprenticeship policy is a perfect example of this,” argued Stéphane Le Roux before those present. “You have a particular model featuring 3 weeks in the company and 1 week at the school, which you must retain as it matches company needs perfectly! By following this schedule, your apprenticeship students make better progress and learn faster. It’s a model that benefits both them and the company !”

These suggestions were confirmed by Roland Niccolini, Regional Director, AG2R La Mondiale, “We will invest more heavily in apprenticeships as it is an excellent way for students to learn a profession and gain experience. And it’s ideal for companies to be able to take time to judge their talent and abilities. I am therefore delighted to be signing this long and successful partnership today.”

Following on from agreements signed with Carrefour, Altrad, Onet, Air France and Vacalians, AG2R La Mondiale is now our 6^th new Major Partner since last September. The group joins the other 44 companies who are members of the Advisory Board and heavily involved in the life and strategic decisions of the school, through their presence on the board of directors.

Friday, March 16th, Montpellier Business School organized its first MSc graduation ceremony. An event that gathered a hundred people in the Grand Amphitheater of the school.

The graduates, many of whom have travelled a long way to attend this event, were able to wear their gowns and caps with great pride for this occasion. Accompanied by their families, friends, teachers and programme team, they all came up on stage to receive their diploma from the Director of MSc and MS at Montpellier Business School, Mr. Pascal Krupka.  

The ceremony, which was conducted in English, reflected the international dimension of the programmes with 27 nationalities represented in 4 MSc : the MSc in Finance, the MSc in International Business, the MSc in Marketing, and the tri-continental MSc in Global Business; all accredited by the “Conférence des Grandes Ecoles”.

A Professional Thesis Prize was awarded in each MSc promotion. And while some graduates excelled in this tough work, all took up the challenge: studying in a different country, adapting to a new culture, and going through every step of this academic and human experience, to their graduation. A well-deserved success marking the beginning of beautiful careers, in France or elsewhere.

The 2017 MSc promotions are now joining the MBS alumni network, a community with numerous branches worldwide. Congratulations to all graduates for this achievement!

Last December, Dr Denis Lescop took over the leadership of the Montpellier Business School Bachelor of International Business Administration. He gave us his first analysis a few weeks later, along with his vision for the MBS post-baccalaureate programme.

What inspired you to lead the MBS Bachelor’s degree programme ?

Above all, I was interested by the complexity of the strategic challenge faced by the Bachelor’s programme: how do you support student inquiries and help build their path towards professional life. You need to strike a balance between professionalisation and returning to active life after a degree, and studies. All this is against the background of the globalisation of curricula and economic activities, and so an international perspective is also necessary. Bachelor’s degrees must therefore respond to three key questions: academic excellence, professionalisation and internationalisation. A Bachelor’s degree is also locally based, students are mainly recruited to the region. And that’s where we have an advantage: Montpellier, Occitanie, their industrial fabric and sustained development continue to offer an environment that’s unquestionably favourable to developing a top-level academic programme with a strong reputation.  The Bachelor’s programme is now a strategic management school course as it forms part of its global appeal and ranking. Which made me want to lead the MBS Bachelor’s degree programme as it’s a school with strong values and a strong academic dynamic.

Who do you think the Bachelor’s programme is for?

As regularly reported in the specialist press, our Bachelor’s degree offers a serious, recognised alternative to preparatory classes or universities. MBS Bachelor’s students generally are at two stages: Baccalaureate level (1^st year students) and Baccalaureate + 2 years (particularly HND or technical degree graduates, who enter in the 3^rd year). The first make their first steps in higher education while the second group look to continue their studies at a Business Grande Ecole. But there is no standard student profile and Bachelor’s students are not running away from preparatory classes or university. Above all, they are looking for an academic environment providing the professional training of a Business Grande Ecole, to which they feel closer.

What do you see as the strong points of the MBS BIBA programme?

Doing a bachelor’s degree after school means choosing a structure that opens up a range of possibilities. You prepare yourself for academic studies and a career by achieving a sufficient academic level and the best possible level of employability
The MBS Bachelor’s programme is an attractive solution to this equation as it has :
– Recognised international accessibility thanks to numerous partner universities, the possibility of dual degrees and strong international immersion from the first year.
– Third year apprenticeships and professional training offered by our Career Center.
– A professional experience year to strengthen your professional and international experience.
– An ability to confirm several diplomas (BIBA, Bachelor’s Degree from a partner university), a grade (Licenciate in Science and Technology Management from the Montpellier IAE) and a professional certification (RNCP level II, International Sales and Marketing Project Manager).
– A range of courses and disciplines that allow students to develop their knowledge and self-management, and reflect MBS values (Ethics, Openness and Diversity, Responsibility and Performance).

What will be new in September 2018 ?

Next autumn, our programme will evolve to reinforce the major strategic lines of internationalisation and professionalisation through :
– The launch of an entirely English language programme from the first year ;
– A re-balancing of the programme to reflect MBS values more accurately and offer students a sustained, regular pace of learning and apprenticeship ;
– A re-balancing of the programme to reflect MBS values more accurately and offer students a sustained, regular pace of learning and apprenticeship).

Dr Denis Lescop’s Career :

A skilled leader of economic research, and teacher of strategy, entrepreneurship and design thinking, Dr Denis Lescop has had a varied and international career. An active teacher-researcher in higher education for over 20 years, he held expert and management positions in top French government departments following his PhD, first at the Telecoms Regulation Authority (2001-2002) then at the Competition Committee (2004-2006). In parallel, he maintained his academic activity, lecturing at several institutions (ESCP-EAP, Paris Sorbonne, Institut Télécom, ENSAE, the University of Montpellier 1, ENA, Sciences-Po Paris, Polytechnic). He joined the TELECOM Management School in 2006 and became a lecturer, responsible for the Innovation research team (2007-2010), then Director of the Research Center and Research Director at TEM (2010-2013). He then became the Academic Dean of TEM Campus at Virginia Tech (USA) from 2014 to 2017.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR

Ms. Linda Yahiaoui, 2016 MBA & PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology (class of 2001- LYON I University) graduate, currently Director of the Department of Process and Product Development at Novasep Belgium.

“I followed the MBA Fast Track programme because I was in a transition period, back in France after having worked for more than 15 years in Canada and the United States. During this year of training, I particularly appreciated the Strategy courses and in particular the concrete exercise of carrying out a strategic diagnosis – Capstone Project. In my new position, one of my greatest satisfactions is being able to put in place a 3-year strategic master plan, which would have been unthinkable for me a few years ago!

By following this type of MBA training programme, very complementary to my initial purely scientific and technical training, I was looking for new team management skills. I had previously held a manager position but I had neither the tools nor the theoretical knowledge that could have helped me perform better my mission. I wanted to acquire these tools to establish a climate of collaboration, define a clear objective and evolve in a structure focused on results and performance while setting new standards understood by all.

I also learned how to surround myself with referees/experts, increase the commitment of my collaborators, improve vertical communications and support the collaborators’ development and rise in competences. Today, I lead a team of 30 people composed mainly of doctors, engineers and technicians. Every day we face various and varied challenges (growth, reorganisation, change etc…) and the training I have received helped me a lot in my daily job.

I have also acquired financial and accounting management skills that enable me to better understand the operational profitability of our business unit and its alignment with the Group’s financial objectives. I can also make a comparative analysis in order to identify where our BU sits in continuum of the other Group’s BUs or even in comparison with competitors in the same sector of activity, although comparison difficulties arise because not all companies use the same calculation formulas.

Finally, I was also seeking knowledge in the areas of marketing and commercialisation. That is why I chose as the topic of my thesis: the challenges related to the marketing of innovative therapy products and the strategies to implement in order to improve the time-to-market while maintaining a very high level of quality.

This experience has been very enriching and I now use the results of my professional thesis on a daily basis. I am also taking this opportunity to “extend the life cycle” of this work by continuing to ask our customers about the challenges associated with the commercialization of gene and/or cell therapy products.

To conclude, I really enjoyed that experience: the diversity of the participants is a key asset and it must be maintained. We often learn new things by talking and working with people from different backgrounds.”

If Martin could be defined in a phrase, it would be a polyglot with a passion for travel. After obtaining a degree at the College of Tourism and Leisure Industry in Austria, his home country, Martin headed for Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom to complete the Bachelor of Arts programme in Hospitality with Events Management. He chose France as his next country of study, aiming to complete his studies and enhance his CV. He opted for MBS’s Master of Sciences in International Business, which enabled him to complete his education and take advantage of a long-term internship before entering the job market.

Martin chose the MSc in International Business first and foremost to acquire new skills in management, marketing and business strategy on an international level, aspects he hadn’t had the chance to explore in previous courses. « Because I’d studied the « pure » tourism sector a lot, I wanted to choose a complementary course, one that corresponded with my career objective, which is to work in international development of a tourist facility. I already speak French and English fluently, but this MSc was an opportunity to perfect both languages, especially with a more technical and professional vocabulary. »

Today, Martin has just begun his second semester of courses and gave us his impression of the curriculum : « For me, the major advantage of this MSc is really the quality of the preparation for entering the international business world. The courses and workshops are designed in such a way as to guarantee fast employment, by giving us all the keys to become competent managers or to start up a business of our own. In the first semester, Professor Paul Martin’s International Business Model Developer course taught us to really think about our career objectives and better orient ourselves. We had several entrepreneurs and company directors coming in to tell us their experiences, which gave us new insight into our potential career choices. This semester, we’ve got major work ahead with the “Entrepreneurial Project” course, which challenges us to create an innovative company with students from two other MBS MSc programmes. »

And in June, it will already be time for the four-to-six-month internship, which Martin also plans to do in France. « I want to stay in France for my internship because France has always been the top world destination, ahead of the United States. So to get work experience here can only be positive. The ideal would be to find it in the marketing department of an international hotel complex. I think that speaking seven languages, five fluently, is an asset that might set me apart from the other candidates in the sector, so I’m pretty optimistic. »

In accordance with the bylaws of the Montpellier Business School Association, the Board of Directors met today to elect its new Bureau and its new Chairman.

The newly elected Bureau consists of:

• 1st Vice-President: Mr. Dominique Seau, President of Eminence, representing the Advisory Bord
• Treasurer: Mr. Stéphane Cerdan (elected from CCI Hérault)
• Assistant Treasurer: Dr. Gilles Halbout (President of COMUE LR)
• Secretary: Mr. Panayotis Staïcos (President of the Montpellier Business School Alumni Alumni Association)
• Deputy Secretary: Mr. Jean-Pierre Leduc (elected from CCI of Aude who represents the CCIR)

The members of the Bureau elected André Deljarry as President of Montpellier Business School.

After congratulating Jean-Christophe Arguillère on the spectacular development of MBS over the past five years, President Deljarry said “It is with great pride that I am, today, the President of this school of excellence. I will be a strong advocate for the values ​​of this school that has gone through 120 years of history here in Montpellier and of which I am proud, and I will make sure that this beautiful story continues through innovation and sharing “.

As a reminder :

Montpellier Business School is a non-profit organization, governed by the so-called law of 1901. Its Board of Directors determines the general policy of the association. It drives the General Assembly debates and vote ; while delegating the execution of this policy to the Bureau. The Bureau meets when convened by the President whenever he sees fit and at least seven times a year.

MBS graduate Jérémie founded EcoMatelas, a unique start-up combining ecology with savings

Having graduated in 2011 and obtained his Grande Ecole Master’s Degree in 2013, Jérémie Adjedj is now a CEO and returned to MBS for the final vivas in the StratMeUp teaching programme with his EcoMatelas start-up. It was the perfect occasion for him to tell us about his entrepreneurial adventures !

How did you know you wanted to start a business ?

You could say that my entrepreneurial spirit developed thanks to the work done by MBS on this subject, which was reinforced by numerous professional experiences that led us to simulate the creation of an innovative company. I was able to use my creative potential in my Bachelor’s degree and also to learn how to manage a company in a national and international context. When I had the opportunity to turn my desire to start a business into something, I knew that I had everything I needed to make it a success, without getting lost along the way.

How was the EcoMatelas project born ?

It’s kind of a family story! My uncle has a bedding store in Agde and old mattresses were often collected and thrown away, even when they were in perfect condition. There was a real environmental problem to solve and a business opportunity to seize. So my brother and I decided to sell second hand mattresses on-line. It was such a success we decided to go further. We spent two years researching and developing an optimal process to recondition bedding so that we could produce the 1^st totally recycled and 100% ecological mattresses at prices up to 4 times cheaper than new products.

You launched the business in 2017 with a range of 100% recycled products under the neutral brand EcoTex. How are things going and what are your ambitions ?

We had the right idea at the right time and social media allowed us to make a name for ourselves right from the launch. Less than a year later we have opened a bricks and mortar store in Baillargues to complement the website and we have already been able to recycle over 10,000 mattresses and frames, which is over 200 tonnes of raw materials and 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide that haven’t been emitted into the atmosphere! We want to be able to industrialise our mattress reconditioning process within 3 years, to reduce the environmental impact in France and then in other European countries. Even today, 40% of mattresses are still not recycled in France alone, there’s still a lot to do.

As part of your development, you entrusted the strategic diagnosis of EcoMatelas to final year MBS students as part of the StratMeUp programme! What problem did you set them and what did you come away with ?

The objective was for them to propose financial solutions to accelerate our growth. The final interview was held this week and allowed students to present us with their work over the past 4 months, under the tutorship of their coach. It was really interesting to receive the fresh, outside perspective of the latest MBS generation concerning our young business, and the experience was as enriching for them as you learn a lot from the strategic analysis of a business, no matter what stage of development it’s at.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A HEALTHCARE INSTITUTION

Anne-Valérie BOULET’s testimonial, Executive Director of a health institution, Engineer and holder of a Master’s degree, an MBA & and RNCP Level I Certification “Business Development or Business Unit Manager” from Montpellier Business School.

How did you get the idea to embark upon an Executive MBA?

The need for such training became evident as a result of a management mentoring approach implemented by the institution in which I practice. It highlighted needs in finance and strategy. The person who accompanied me suggested doing an Executive MBA, noting that it would provide me with a general and cross-cutting training more efficient than an internal career path, and that this programme seemed to correspond more closely to my needs in strategy and finance. Then, I have been looking up about the programme on the internet, especially about the contents. It did seem to fit my needs.

So, I chose this programme of the Executive MBA & Certification “Business Development or Operational Unit Manager” of Montpellier Business School because it met my needs best. I didn’t want to go for a specialised master’s degree in executive education. Especially, since I have already completed one in 2004. I was looking for something else.

Did this MBA meet your expectations?

First of all, my expectations were high, as I said, on finance and strategy. But when I step back, this programme has brought me much more than I could think off. I didn’t see it right away. Yet what I have learned, apart from strategy and finance, has been useful to me. Take, for example, “the theory of organisations”. It has allowed me to better analyze the observations that can be made within the institution in which I practice. It was a discovery, clearly. Another example: financial analysis. I had some notions, but the approach that was used during the training was fully compatible with my position. The other discovery was marketing. It’s a subject I’ve never mulled over in my institution’s private non-profit sector! The concomitance between the theory and the Markops (NDLR: simulation game in real time and connected with dozens of participants around the world), allowed me to identify it very quickly in my structure.

So you felt you were making progress with this programme?

Operating by a module approach, with theory, practice, learning expedition, examinations and practical experience in company, allows indeed progressing rather quickly. This educational method is particularly effective. I didn’t realize that an MBA could be so useful.