EDHEC Rendez-vous 2015: an exceptional vintage

With 40 participating cities, the 25th edition of the EDHEC Rendez-vous once again saw record numbers of delegates. From Shanghai to Vancouver, here is a look back at EDHEC’s most inclusive event.

Unprecedented participation levels

From the CEO of the Coca-Cola North America Group in Toronto to the deputy CEO of the Nestlé Group in Switzerland and the CEO of MAF Retail (Carrefour Group in the Middle East) in Dubai, this year’s edition was an illustration of the determination of our local ambassadors to promote the activities of their clubs by calling on well-known figures in their respective countries.

A total of 10 cities invited prestigious speakers to participate in the 2015 EDHEC Rendez-vous. Our thanks to all previous EDHEC award winners for their participation and to all of the ambassadors who spread the good word about our network across the globe!
> See the list of EDHEC Rendez-vous guests here

Showcase in Paris: epicentre of the event
Mirroring the TED talks, the EDHEC Rendez-vous in Paris invited four eminent speakers to take to the stage at the Showcase. The theme for this year’s speeches was “Thrive differently”.

7 PM: Florence Servan-Schreiber opened the discussion. This professional speaker and trainer and specialist in the science of happiness shared her tips on how to succeed in the world of entrepreneurship with serenity and optimise our skills. “We need you to be as you are. The more we are what we are, the more entrepreneurship moves forward.”. 
20 minutes later, it was Mickaël Boumendil’s turn (Master 1994) to talk to us... about love! Using Darwin as a reference, the musical designer and creator of Sixième Son reminded us that “if the strong and beautiful can prosper, so too can the crafty among us”. He went on to share his theory about happiness, which he summed up as follows: “To cultivate love and be loved is to prosper. Prosperity is about cultivating more love – for oneself and for others”
We moved from love to disobedience as Jérôme Frizzera-Mogli (Master 1994) took to the stage and called on us all to be daring! This serial entrepreneur knows what he’s talking about: as a writer, personal coach and parachutist, the recipient of the 1999 EDHEC person of the year award encouraged his audience to break the rules in order to succeed. “Disobedience is part of the rock ‘n’ roll skill set!”.

Finally, Anne Zuccarelli (Master 1983), Associate Dean for Corporate Relations & Careers at EDHEC Business School, ended the event with a reminder that the School shares this mindset of openness and pedagogical innovation.
> Watch the guest speeches here

EDHEC awards 2015: Emmanuel Viellard, Delphine Hoffmann, Christian Raissan and Philippe de Chanville – worthy recipients!
Each year, the ceremony for the three EDHEC awards takes place in Paris. Delphine Hoffmann (Master 1997), Head of development and partnerships with Laurette Fugain, was the first to receive her award. For her involvement in this association which combats leukaemia, the EDHEC graduate received the award for the Socially Responsible Business of the year! 

The award for the Entrepreneur of the year was given to two EDHEC graduates currently working as business associates: Christian Raisson (Master 1994) and Philippe de Chanville (Master 2003). The founders of the young and up-and-coming monEchelle.fr collected the most votes from the alumni community.  

The EDHEC person of the year award, which is given to a graduate whose activities contribute to the excellence and reputation of our School, was given to Emmanuel Viellard (Master 1986). The deputy CEO of the LISI Group is the 31st graduate to receive this distinction..
> Read more about the careers of our 3 award winners : Emmanuel Viellard (Master 1986), Christian Raisson (Master 1994) and Philippe de Chanville (Master 2003), Delphine Hoffmann (Master 1997)

Special mention for the Finance club
This wonderful event was also made possible by the ambassadors of our professional and leisure clubs, who offer forums for exchanges and networking. The Finance club deserves a special mention for its level of involvement in this year’s EDHEC Rendez-Vous. Congratulations to all of the ambassadors who got involved in the event! 

Unusual locations
While the Parisians opted for a nightclub, the imagination of our local communities knew no bounds when it came to welcoming their guests.Yann Roubert (Master 2000), Chairman of LOU, came up with the idea of bringing together the Lyon delegates at their local rugby stadium. While in Nice and Montpellier, the obvious choice was to share a meal by the water’s edge.