ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°127 - Novembre 2009 - 44

Vie du réseau LONDON Breakfast Meeting with Patricia BARBIZET By Marcello STROPPA [11] atricia BARBIZET (76), CEO of Artémis, board member of various companies and Honorary President of the ESCP Europe Alumni Association, was Guest of Honour to a meeting held in central London on June 23rd. Invited to the breakfast at the Sofitel St. James were thirty high-profile guests, including Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, French ambassador in Great Britain, Franck PETITGAS (83), global co-head of investment banking at Morgan Stanley, and numerous senior participants, many of which are ESCP Europe Alumni. After a greeting by the organiser Laurent FENIOU (94), Patricia welcomed her guests and gave an overview of her impressive career, starting from the early years at the Renault Group, to the time spent at PPR as CFO, until becoming CEO of Artémis, the investment arm of the Pinault family. Given the friendly atmosphere and the limited number of guests, the speech was very interactive. Those present in the room showed great interest throughout the breakD.R. P fast and appreciated the sharing of small anecdotes, which helped establishing a closer contact. Mrs BARBIZET often mentioned and showed gratitude for the strong personalities from which she learned the key skills and who made her growth possible. Patricia defined herself as an entrepreneur rather than a technical expert and she emphasised the point of how learning to understand and interpret the reality that surrounds us helped her developing a mind openness which represents one of her most valuable assets. Patricia talked about her current position as CEO of Artémis, and compared investing to art, another great passion of hers, which she actively promotes as Chairman of Christie’s. Mrs BARBIZET’s charm over the guests was tangible, and the peak was reached when a guest asked Patricia what is needed to fill the gap between « savoir-faire » and « savoirêtre », to which the star speaker modestly replied in a sibylline way, letting understand that the first can be learned, whereas the latter is an inner gift. Patricia expressed a great commitment to her causes and a very strong human touch towards the people that surround her. The most enriching point was the description of her personal and professional developments as a whole, meaning that the skills acquired in one context could be interpreted and used in another and that the border between work, art and passion could be as thin as one wants it to be. From my perspective, of a student moving the first steps in the world of business, it has been extremely motivating, and to a certain extent surprising, to see how the achievement of a first class career has not stopped the will to discuss, manage and challenge assumptions and, still, maintain a strong human sensitivity. It makes me think that there’s never a finishing line in a career, and more broadly in life, the height of the ladder only depends on one’s motivation to make the next step. l Mrs BARBIZET’s charm over the guests was tangible. ESCP Europe Magazine N° 127 - Novembre 2009

Table des matières de la publication ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°127 - Novembre 2009

Couverture
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Sommaire
Editorial
Personnalité du mois
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Itinéraires
Entretiens
Vie du réseau
À lire
Évolution professionnelle
Voyages
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ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°127 - Novembre 2009