SKEMA graduates were invited on to the Zénith stage to receive their diplomas (the morning for the BBA, MSc and MS students; and the afternoon for the STEM, PGE, EMBA, DBA and PhD students).
The ceremony, as usual hosted with charm and good humour by the inimitable duo, Katrina Panchout and Peter Spier was opened by Alice Guilhon. She then handed over to Jean-Philippe Courtois, EVP and president, Global Sales, Marketing & Operations – Microsoft, president of SKEMA Business School, for an inspiring speech.
Olivier Dufour, president of SKEMA Alumni, also congratulated all the graduates who have now officially joined the 40,000 strong SKEMA alumni network throughout the world. He then awarded the Alumni Prize of the Year to Antony Ledru (SKEMA, 1995) executive vice-president of commercial activity for the Louis Vuitton Group since April 2017.
In their graduation outfits, graduates stepped up onto the stage one by one to receive their diplomas.
The ceremony had several exceptional moments, in particular the special awards:
- The Research prize of the year awarded by Xavier Brusset to Bruno Cirillo, for his article, “External learning strategies and technological search output: spinout strategy and corporate invention quality,” published in Organization Science.
- The prize for pedagogical innovation was awarded by Sophie Gay to Hélène Duranton and Mary-Jane Michaelides, for their project "Business communication through drama".
- The prizes of excellence were awarded by Alice Guilhon to Clément Mignon (SKEMA 2018) and Ferhat Ferri (SKEMA 2017).
- The sashes for the best students in their cohort were awarded to: Makita Pairaud (BBA), Chloé Pirola (PGE), Pierre-Henry Quantin (MSc) and Flavie Soudant (MS).
- A tweet wall was also set up so everyone could see the shared tweets on the ceremony.
The afternoon concluded with the traditional photo of the years’ graduates and the mortarboard throwing. Then graduates and their close friends and family got together for a glass of champagne, taking the opportunity to have the occasion professionally photographed in order to immortalise this important moment.
After the limelight and the excitement of the stage, the day continued with a cocktail buffet and ball at the Pavillon D’Armenonville. At this exceptional location in the heart of Paris, the new graduates spent a prestigious evening together with their close friends and family, as well as with the academic directors and professors from the school. The SKEMA Alumni room had a cabaret atmosphere while the main dance floor was full.
The communications department who had prepared this event for several months would especially like to thank Rémi Vayssière, the Student Office and SKEMA Alumni for their indispensable and efficient support, without forgetting Katrina Panchout and Peter Spier (our masters of ceremony).