Pierre Ippolito (MSc 2011) : a family business with one watchword get involved

For a company CEO, finance is very important. It is a day-to-day management tool, both from an operational point of view — particularly in terms of management control (operational indicators) — and from a financial point of view (management of banking relations, financing management, etc.).

I chose my studies with a view to taking over the family business, and it seemed to me that finance skills were the most generalist and the most relevant at that time. I did my Master 2 as an apprentice in the family business, because I wanted to make a smooth transition internally. Plus, I knew I'd immediately be given responsibilities that were a good fit for my skills, which I would be able to put to good use right from the start. The apprenticeship went very well and I made a very quick transition to the professional world.

You're right. My father was very pleased with his education, so when I was looking for a programme I naturally turned to SKEMA (CERAM at the time). I preferred to stay in Sophia Antipolis, because I wanted to start building my professional network in the area where I was going to work. I could capitalise more on a local network than on extra-territorial experience.

My position as CEO is not like that of a CEO of a large corporation, because I still have a very operational role. I alternate between operational management and profit centre management. I oversee the day-to-day work of the branch managers, and I also have a more cross-functional role that involves coordinating the company's support functions. I organise and orchestrate the HR, marketing, IT and general services departments to achieve organisational efficiency and effectiveness. I support the company's development by structuring the industrialisation of external growth processes and relations with all stakeholders.