I held marketing positions in major international industrial groups until 2003, when I decided to create a software consultancy for companies, brands and destinations willing to communicate by combining digital and event media.
A highlight of my career was launching SoFrance Events, an event planning agency and DMC in New York. I spent four years organizing prestigious events in Manhattan and in North and South America for international customers. It was truly a memorable experience and worth the challenge.
I have made it a priority in my career to coach event professionals in order for them to work in the most creative, efficient and sustainable way. In order for this to happen, I was entirely devoted to methodology building, tools and skills development.
The biggest challenge of my career was a classy event for Le Diner des Grands Chefs by Relais & Châteaux at Gotham Hall. I was in charge of the show and decor including video mapping of New York City during springtime.
I advocate for the global value and recognition of events. I am convinced that events and professional meetings can change the world and are the best creators of social links that allow individuals to exchange ideas in unexpected and effective ways. Before creating financial or human capital, organizations should rely on relational capital.
I joined MPI when I started as an entrepreneur in 2004 to have a better understanding of the meeting and event industry and to train myself. It was also the only association with a long history in several European countries.
The warm welcome I received during my first MPI Global conference in Davos, Switzerland, in 2006—as well as the depth of knowledge and the connections I was able to form—made a strong impression on me for a while.
I first held the positions of VP of finance and VP of education before becoming president of the MPI France-Switzerland Chapter in 2009. In 2019, I became president again. As a regular attendee of the European Meetings and Events Conference and World Education Congress, I have thus expanded my international network. As I kept well trained and informed about the major developments in the industry, I was therefore more comfortable evolving towards new positions: from digital event specialist, PCO and meeting planner to event designer.
The event planner profession has changed radically. From a profession where logistics was the main activity, we have moved to a multi-faceted métier: strategist, designer and planner, able to involve all the stakeholders from the beginning of the event design and apply collaborative and innovative approaches. Fortunately, we [now] have graduates in strategic event management who can meet this challenge with us.
I have finally come to the conclusion that events must be sustainability-oriented, and thus I’ve obtained my Sustainable Event Professional Certificate (SEPC) from the Events Industry Council. It is time for the meeting and event industry to commit to sustainability—going backwards is not an option.
I am French and enjoy l’Art de Vivre à la Française: gastronomy and wine, arts and culture, fashion, creators and, of course, debates of ideas and evenings to set the world right around a bottle of wine.
