Research will guide the Group towards decarbonisation

Tell us about your career... 

Generally speaking, my career path has been more diverse than I could have imagined when I left school. I started at ENGIE just over twenty years ago as a young research engineer, and then moved on to strategic roles, whether in European affairs or as head of the Group’s gas activities. I was an international business developer for five years, I worked in finance in the Group’s finance department – roles that I would never have imagined working in when I started in R&D. Finally, I’ve often acted as a facilitator between those entities that have a need and others that carry out the work. I developed this aspect of myself when I joined the Research Department, and it’s permeated my entire career. I think my first experience in R&D helped me to understand what I’d like to be.

When you were studying, did you have any idea of what you wanted to do next?

I studied engineering at Arts et Métiers, and I also have a DEA (post-graduate diploma) in fluid mechanics. I liked maths, I loved fluid mechanics, so working in energy came naturally, but in any case I knew I wanted to work on fluids. When I did my internship at ONERA (the French aerospace research centre), I realised that I didn’t want to do fundamental research, but that I needed to be in the field. And that’s what I found when I joined the Research Department at ENGIE – which was still Gaz de France at the time. I’d been identified as an employee with potential within the Group and Florence Fouquet, in the Strategy Department, had the idea of sending me to European regulatory affairs. I understood how a European directive can affect business, but I wasn’t familiar with the workings of the European institutions. Florence said to me: “It doesn’t matter. Do you want to give it a try?” I thought it was a great challenge. At the time, we were in the process of reshaping the energy landscape in Europe, and with my technical background and my taste for coordination, it made sense. I just had to push myself a bit. And it was brilliant. 

 R&D offers a lot of possibilities. The world is changing, and we need all kinds of profiles.

This adventure has taken you beyond Europe...

Yes, one thing led to another and I was asked to develop GRTgaz’s international business. After that, I was in charge of all the Group’s gas infrastructure across two regions: South-East Asia and South America.

And then? 

I became interested in finance: how to draw up a financial model, how to read a shareholders’ agreement, how to put it all together... In short, another role as an all-round facilitator. That’s how I ended up in the Strategy Department, in charge of prospective studies for the entire gas business, so I was involved in economics and thinking about the energy system of the future. And then I get a phone call: “We want someone who can deal with market risks.” As I wasn’t fluent in finance, I hesitated, but they told me that they weren’t looking for an expert. Instead, they wanted someone to coordinate financial risks across the Group, to make sure that things worked, to make sure we had guidance, with best practices and, naturally, to secure the Group’s financial performance. For six months, it was really difficult because I didn’t understand the acronyms or anything about trading, but fortunately I had great teams working with me. And once I started to master the subject, it was incredible. 

We must never forget that what we do responds to operational needs.

Ultimately, Research leads everywhere! 

Yes, R&D offers many possibilities. The world is changing, and we need all kinds of profiles. Experts as well as people capable of taking an interest in many things, of adding value to the Group’s operational entities. After that, the field of possibilities lies before us, and we have to seize the opportunities when they come, and above all create them. All in all, I’ve always been happy with what I’ve done. I loved working internationally – I met people from different cultures and I travelled a lot. And finance was a fantastic discovery.

What’s your current position?

In 2022, Adeline Duterque, then Managing Director of Lab Crigen, asked me to join her management committee. For me, it was another great opportunity, and I was happy to return to my first love. I’m in charge of three of Crigen’s nine Labs, the ones that are dedicated to decarbonising energy use: the Future Buildings and Cities Lab, the Industries of the Future Lab and the Environment and Society Lab. I also look after the business development team. We must never forget that what we do responds to operational needs. You need to be able to build a business model that meets the needs of the Global Business Unit (GBU) responsible for the topic.

We also work with Incubation, because depending on the maturity of certain areas, we can develop an offer within an entity or create an ad hoc entity outright. My aim is to coordinate and make things work, not just at Crigen but well beyond, including with the other R&I units and of course with the GBUs.

Ultimately, what would you say your time at Research has brought you?

For me, Research has clearly been a career booster. I have nothing but fond memories of my years in R&D. I remember that very quickly, young researchers could be given responsibility for high-stakes subjects, and I was trusted throughout all my experiences. What’s more, I’m convinced that Research is the entity that will guide the Group towards decarbonising its activities by focusing on the best technologies and, in addition, on the best business models. R&I has a very important role to play in providing answers to our decision-makers. I also get satisfaction from collective success, as I hate working alone. 

My grandfather used to say to me: “Always upright, never wilting!”

Is there a quote or mantra that’s important to you?

Absolutely, it’s a very personal phrase from my grandfather in Algeria who used to say something to me all the time, in impeccable French, with his characteristic optimism: “Always upright, never wilting!”. It meant that you have to use life’s obstacles to stay on your feet and never give up.  That’s the image I have of him. 

It’s wonderful! Staying on the topic of inspiration, is there a magical power or gift that you’d like to have?

There are plenty of them, especially as I’m a fan of manga and comic books.  But I’m thinking of one gift in particular: teleportation, which would allow us to go from one place to another without a plane or a car. It would be revolutionary and so environmentally friendly! Having superhuman strength and flying is all very well, but it’s unrealistic. Teleporting, on the other hand, is cellular displacement, and is theoretically possible. Quantum teleportation already exists for light particles, or photons. Maybe in hundreds of years’ time, we’ll be able to teleport our bodies!

As we know, there aren’t enough women in science or research. Do you have any solutions to suggest? 

It’s a real social issue. I’ve got three daughters, and I want them to be able to pursue the career of their choice, including becoming engineers or researchers if that’s what they want. There are initiatives to promote women in the business world, which is a very good thing, but when we hear certain employees of a giant like Google explain that if they don’t achieve gender parity, it’s because women aren’t as good at maths, I’m appalled. I sincerely believe that raising awareness at the company level won’t be enough.  We all have a responsibility to take action in our own environment and to educate our children to help change attitudes. And I think we’ll get there in the medium term. At Lab Crigen, 38% of our employees are women. In the Future Buildings Lab, we have quite a few young women working on highly technical subjects such as thermal engineering and thermodynamics, as well as basic engineering. It gives me hope.