Meet EDHEC Alumni Country Managers

We are delighted to officially welcome the new country managers team to our Alumni Community 

Patricia Vinant, EDHEC Country Manager, USA West Coast

Patricia Vinant has been the Los Angeles Ambassador since 2015. In close collaboration with all our Ambassadors in California, she will now also be acting in an official capacity to help support and oversee our Alumni activity on the US West Coast.

Prior to joining EDHEC, Patricia worked as a serial start-up entrepreneur, Director for French American Academy (Los Angeles Area), Senior Consultant with International Marketing Consulting (San Francisco), and Executive Vice-President at GMF-Travelrite (Toronto, Paris).

A French native, Patricia graduated from EDHEC GE with a Master in Management in 1984. She also holds a Certificate in Sustainable Technologies (RRM Program) from Santa Monica College.

Contact: patricia.vinant@edhec.edu

Joyce Cuff, EDHEC Country Manager, Singapore and South Asia

Joyce Cuff joined the EDHEC team less than two years ago, as the Country Manager for Singapore and SE Asia, overseeing the corporate and alumni relations, promoting various degree programmes, marketing/events, as well as providing career coaching for Alumni.  Working closely with various stakeholders in the French, local and Asian community, she collaborates with our Alumni Ambassadors, to support and assist in their Alumni activity, especially in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the rest of the SE Asian countries.

Prior to joining EDHEC, Joyce was working with the Donor Relations team at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS), stewarding donors’ money for scholarships and bursaries. She was an External Affairs Manager at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS, that recruited crème de la crème officers for the Masters programmes before graduating themselves for ministerial government positions in Asia. She worked a few years in sales and events in the restaurant and food business, as well as being a product trainer and sales person for the Factiva & BIP product at Thomson Reuters Asia Pacific.

A Singaporean native, Joyce graduated from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Business Administration from SIM-Australia.  She spends her free time volunteering with her church and the Singapore Red Cross, goes for movies and tries her best at quilting, tai-ji and yoga.

Contact: joyce.cuff@edhec.edu

Sisi Pan, EDHEC Country Manager, China (incl. Hong Kong and Taiwan)

Sisi Pan joined EDHEC international team as Country Manager China this January, she is fully responsible for EDHEC Corporate Relations Development in China and Chinese students Admission activities, alongside those mission, she will also develop EDHEC alumni club in China.

After working as consultant in HR Management consulting projects in Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur, Sisi changed her career to international market for a Leading Chinese electrical group, achieved excellent performance as Business Development Manager in Asia Pacific, and afterwards she was fully in charge of solar energy projects in Japan and Thailand; during her life in France, she co-founded a start-up in digital art.

Sisi graduated from a Top Law college in Shanghai with Bachelor degree in 2006, then she accomplished Msc in Creative Business & Social Innovation at EDHEC. Being alumni, Sisi is naturally full of enthusiasm and capacity to develop EDHEC in China.

Contact: sisi.pan@edhec.edu

Cassandra Pittman, EDHEC Country Manager UK and Ireland

Cassandra Pittman joined the EDHEC team more than two years ago, leading International Corporate Relations and Careers in the UK. Alongside this work, in close collaboration with our UK Ambassadors, she will now also be acting in an official capacity to help support and oversee our Alumni activity in London.

Prior to joining EDHEC, Cassandra worked as Global Talent Director for Global Career Company (UK), Senior Consultant with Capgemini Consulting’s People & Performance Practice (New York), and Assistant Director of Marketing at INSEAD (France, Singapore, New York).

A California native, Cassandra graduated from Richmond: The American International University in London with a B.A. in International Relations in 2002. She holds an M.A. in European Integration and Development from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, an MBA from Columbia Business School and a General Management Certificate from INSEAD.

Contact : cassandra.pittman@edhec.edu

Nilesh Gaikwad, EDHEC Country Manager India

Nilesh Gaikwad is an EDHEC Alumnus from MSc in Strategy and Organisation 2012 and has been associated professionally with EDHEC since 2014 as Country Manager - India. He manages all India-related operations including Admissions, Corporate Relations, International Relations and is based in Mumbai. His missions will also include assisting and overseeing India-Alumni related activities.

He has diverse work experience in Business Development, Product Management & Marketing. Prior to joining EDHEC, Nilesh was working as a Marketing Manager for a start-up Giftery. He finished his Engineering in 2007 from Mumbai University and has worked as an Associate Product Manager at The Times Group, after starting his professional career as a Software Executive over a decade ago.

Nilesh has a cross-industry experience of working for start-ups as well as conglomerates. Nilesh regularly writes for leading media outlets on topics related to Education & Management. Through his experience, Nilesh has learnt the importance of focusing on brand-building. He intends to use these skills to help the Alumni Community in India.

Contact : nilesh.gaikwad@edhec.edu