2025 Review: a year of defining milestones for SKEMA Business School

At the start of the year, SKEMA strengthened its governance with the appointments of Fabienne Arata-Camps and Anthony Ledru. This move reflects a determination to give lasting structure to the institution’s strategy and to support its forthcoming transformations.

Major academic recognition

In May, SKEMA secured the renewal of its EQUIS accreditation for a further five years, confirming the robustness of its academic model and international strategy. A few months later, the DD&RS label was also renewed for four years, highlighting the central place of environmental and social transitions within the school’s programmes and practices.

A year shaped by key moments

The year was marked by several highlights. In February, Alice Guilhon was appointed Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur, in recognition of her commitment to higher education. Last summer, SKEMA celebrated the graduation of more than 2,400 students during a large ceremony held at La Seine Musicale, attended by families and relatives. In August, the Grand Paris campus hosted the 52nd annual conference of the European Finance Association, confirming its role within major international academic gatherings.

SKEMA students in the spotlight on the international stage

The year was also marked by a series of standout student achievements on the international scene. Two students from the MSc Business Consulting & Digital Intelligence won the Negotiation Challenge at the Solvay Business Game. Four students from the MSc Financial Markets & Investments reached the final of Harvard’s Global Case Competition, selected from nearly 300 international teams. On the entrepreneurial front, two students from the MSc Entrepreneurship & Technology Start-up Management raised $700,000 and joined the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator in New York. Two students from the MSc Financial Markets & Investments also ranked in the top 1 per cent of the Bloomberg Global Trading Challenge, reflecting the academic and professional standards of SKEMA’s programmes.

New programmes and strategic partnerships

In September, SKEMA and LVMH launched the Retail Excellence & Client Relationship Management track within the MSc in Global Luxury & Management in Dubai. In October, the school unveiled its new strategic plan for 2025–2030, titled UNVEIL, during a press conference. This roadmap aims to reveal talent and to support economic, social and technological change.

Research and expertise in motion

The year also saw strong momentum in research. Nine new professors joined the school in key fields such as finance, strategy, marketing, sustainability and artificial intelligence. More than 170 academic articles were published in international journals, while six SKEMA professors entered Stanford University’s ranking of the world’s top 2 per cent most cited researchers. Ten new doctoral candidates also joined the academic community.

Knowledge production and idea sharing

On the expertise front, SKEMA continued to develop its editorial and media formats. The Baromètre Talents, produced with OpinionWay for SKEMA and EY, shed light on the expectations of younger generations at work. The Makes Sense? podcast launched a new season featuring alumni only, while Glimpse magazine expanded with two new editions and a redesigned digital format.

Awards and collective recognition

Several distinctions punctuated the year. The BCE competitive exam recorded a record figure of more than 8,000 candidates. The HOPE Lille association received a youth award at the ChangeNOW Summit. SKEMA was also presented with the Sino-French Innovation and Partnership Award at the CCI France China gala.

An international alumni network

SKEMA’s reach was also reflected through its alumni network. Pauline Lahary and Sandra Verger were named among Forbes’ 40 women shaping France in 2025. Benjamin Ferré completed his first Vendée Globe, finishing first among non-foiling boats. Wendy Barahona Savage was recognised in the Vogue Business 100 Innovators list. Together, these milestones define a formative year for SKEMA Business School, at the intersection of academic excellence, innovation and global impact.

Strengthening ties with Bpifrance

In the end of 2025, SKEMA also deepened its partnership with Bpifrance, reaffirming its role within France’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Through joint initiatives, events and support programmes, this collaboration strengthened links between students, entrepreneurs and institutional stakeholders, with a shared focus on innovation, scale-up and economic transformation. This partnership reflects SKEMA’s ambition to connect academic expertise with the realities of business and public policy.