Project to create a Jérôme Gayet foundation to support solidarity-based businesses

The EDHEC Business School hosted the Connected Day event, dedicated to e-commerce professionals and organized by the Institut du Commerce Connecté (ICC), on its Lille campus, this Thursday, November 21, 2019. More than 800 people were able to attend conferences of retail experts, at the start-up awards ceremony, or attend 1-to-1 meetings.

Created in 2012 by Jerome Gayet, Alumni EDHEC 1993, the Institut du Commerce Connecté's mission is to accelerate the digital transformation of retailers through training, events and exploratory trips.

Jerome Gayet becomes President of the Federation of Students of the Catholic University of Lille one year after his arrival at EDHEC. 

He died on 29 August 2019 at the age of 49 after a long fight against the disease. He was a donor of EDHEC and provided particular support for the development of entrepreneurship at EDHEC.

In the continuity of his work and his convictions, family members and circles friendly and professional Jerome Gayet today launch a project to create a Jerome Gayet Foundation for a supportive entrepreneurship. A working group made up of family members, friends and collaborators of Jérôme Gayet has begun a reflection on the missions of the Foundation. This group is currently composed of: Anne-Laure Gayet (Alumni EDHEC 1993), Nicolas Malo (Alumni EDHEC 1993), Martin Bruyelles (EDHEC Alumni 2020), Michel Koch, Karl Hoquante, Elizabeth Decoster. The objective is to place the Foundation under the aegis of a hosting foundation at the end of a phase of constitution of a file and audit of the project by its board of directors. 

MISSIONS OF THE JÉRÔME GAYET FOUNDATION

The Foundation aims to support start-ups and solidarity-based businesses stemming from social entrepreneurship, with a focus on initiating and developing the project. These entrepreneurial projects will work in different areas, such as integration, return to work, education or access to housing for example.

The working group identifies, to date, two areas of intervention:

Financial support: the selected projects will receive a financial endowment to help them finance their investments and accelerate their growth. This aid will come from a fund consisting of donations to the Foundation, made by companies and individuals.

Support from a group of experts: the Foundation will rely on the community that Jérôme Gayet has built throughout his life and will be able to provide critical support in the development of selected projects. For example: coaching project leaders by experienced entrepreneurs and managers, support in operational marketing, legal advice, etc.

BOULANGER, FIRST SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT

Boulanger, a French brand specializing in entertainment, multimedia and household appliances, has pledged its CEO, Etienne Hurez, to be the first support for the project.

Etienne Hurez, General Manager of Boulanger, declares: "I am very happy to be able to support the project to create a Jérôme Gayet Foundation. Jérôme, as a friend and consultant, has contributed a lot to Boulanger's evolution over the past years, giving us advice that has been decisive in certain aspects of our growth. Boulanger is very proud to be able to pay this tribute to him, by supporting a meaningful and emblematic project of Jérôme's entrepreneurial and human values. "

Anne-Laure Gayet, head of the working group, says: "It is with great emotion that I join the foundation project in tribute to Jerome, alongside Nicolas, a long-time friend, who made Martin, Karl, Michel and Elizabeth, close collaborators of Jérôme who wish to continue to live his enthusiasm, his thirst for entrepreneurship and his deep desire to put the talents and skills of some at the service of social entrepreneurship. and solidarity. As a result of Jerome, let us dare to engage together! "

Individuals and companies that wish to support the project can leave their contact information on this page.