From gas grids to strategic roadmaps

On graduating from the Ecole des Mines de Paris, I was hired into the entity that has since become GRDF, in an operating agency. I then moved to GRTgaz, first to plan out the industrialisation of a maintenance programme on the transmission grids, then to hold sales functions, as Key Account Manager.

After that I packed my bags and set off for London and the LNG BU, where I was in charge of commercial relations on the Cameroon LNG project, which involved building a gas liquefaction plant in Cameroon. Though that project ultimately did not come to fruition, the complex and international negotiation experience that preceded it taught me a lot. 

After that, I joined the Head Office in a rather strategic role, in the Gas Chain Business Unit and then in the BtoT Business Unit. I then moved to the Disruption team, and later, the R&I scope. 

Today, I am Director in charge of Opportunity Exploration at ENGIE Research. I am responsible for clarifying the benefits of technologies or their applications for ENGIE, by helping define and chart out the relevant business case for the Group. This evaluation process incorporates multiple dimensions: the maturity of the technology, the understanding of potential applications, the Group’s characteristics through its ambitions, its business models, its positioning in the value chain, its own capacities and its geographies. This enables us to decide on the research and innovation roadmaps for these topics. 

What excites you most in what you do now? 

What gets me most excited is pairing up the technological/scientific dimensions with the business development/strategic alignment dimensions for the Group.  I learn a lot, and in particular, I enjoy reconciling very different points of view to build a complete view of the subject.

Doing work where you can sense the added value is motivating in itself, and it’s the case with this job, which helps us make choices about where to direct our efforts, set out an explicit direction and give a common understanding to both the Labs and the GBUs about the benefits of these topics sufficiently in advance.

I understand that you have many other passions outside your work!

Yes, first and foremost a large family which keeps me very busy and is a big part of my life!

I also run a lot, doing trails and even ultra-trails... The definition of an ultra-trail is a bit vague, but the word generally refers to long distances. For some people, it starts at 42, 80 or 100 km and can reach 160 km... The vertical climb also comes into play. 

When I run, it’s not about performance or outdoing myself. An ultra-trail is an experience quite similar to what a day hike can be for people with less training: the pleasure of being outdoors, exercising, and enjoying the landscapes. 

Of course I try to perform as best I can, or rather, to pace my efforts so that I can get to my destination as quickly as possible. But whether I put in 30 minutes more or 30 minutes less does not change the experience fundamentally. 

Is it very important for you to be outside and in contact with nature? 

Yes, I grew up in the countryside. I'm not a city person at all, and I live 100 metres from the forest. My way of recharging my batteries is being outdoors, and one way of being outdoors is to go running. 

How are Research and Innovation important to the Group? 

The world around us is in transformation, in terms of energy, but also in terms of technology. Digital technology still has contributions to make and we know that most of the technologies we will need by 2050 are either emerging or have yet to be invented. 

Given the Group’s positioning on the energy transition, there is no doubt that Research and Innovation are key factors in the overhaul of our offers and our medium-term growth prospects. 

How do you see the future of energy? 

Carbon-free, with more efficient uses, and decentralised. 

I am a big believer in decentralised energy. People have been talking about it for a very long time; it has just been taking longer to emerge than expected. It is an essential link in the chain for the future, supporting the paradigm shift in the energy world. The timescale I am referring to here is fairly long, but I have no doubt that a form of decentralisation is inevitable, particularly as the evolution and electrification of uses unfolds. The electric car, for instance, will make it a necessity to manage uses at the local level. 

How do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? 

I really don’t have a clear picture! We know that 10-year business plans generally turn out wrong... though you can have a long-term vision or clear objective. So my intention is to gain enjoyment from doing things that are useful, to grow intellectually, to develop and use my potential. This can be accomplished in different types of positions and environments. 

What 3 words do you connect with innovation? 

Creativity, grounded in reality, solution

Is there a quote or a phrase that means a lot to you? 

There are lots, but to connect back with my trail running and life philosophy in general, let’s go with Gandhi: “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory. ”