Meet Camille Bellon, a Kedger living in Melbourne  

GRADUATION YEAR: 2018

POSITION: Channel Account Manager

COMPANY: Evernex

LENGTH OF TIME LIVING ABROAD: 9 years

INTERVIEW:

Hello Camille! To start, please quickly introduce yourself.

Hello. My name is Camille Bellon. I am a graduate from KEDGE’s EBP Programme in Bordeaux. I was part of the graduating class of 2018. I currently live in Melbourne where I’m a Channel Account Manager with Evernex. 

What does your job entail? What are your duties?

Evernex is a global IT company, specialising in the maintenance of the infrastructure of all types of the data centre equipment. Its headquarters are located in Brisbane, and the Melbourne office has been existence for two years.

My role as Channel Account Manager is to maintain and develop business relationships. Our maintenance services are sold through an intermediary, such as HP or DELL, with whom I work. I arrange meetings between clients and them in order to sell our services to the end-user. 

Tell us about your time at KEDGE? What did you study?

I enrolled in the EBP programme of KEDGE in 2013. I did a year and a half in Bordeaux, and then went to Lisbon for six months to get my bachelor in management.

My objective was to be trilingual by the end of my studies. I wanted to do six months in an English-speaking country and six months in a Spanish-speaking country. I had my first internship in digital marketing at an IT company in Melbourne. After that, I did a second six-month internship in Mexico City, Mexico, with an importer of French wines, where I handled sales, and communications and marketing with the Director. These two professional experiences were very enriching, and I made a lot of progress in speaking other languages.

For my fourth year, I went to Lisbon for a year to complete my double degree in management. I went on to spend a semester at a university in England, and then spent a semester in Bordeaux for my last year.

For my end-of-studies internship, I had the chance to go to Melbourne. I started at Evernex last September and I’m now employed there.

How did KEDGE help you develop and reach your goals?

The EPB is a very good programme. It provides an opportunity to do several internships abroad and to get several double-degrees. Because of this programme, I was able to do internships and go to partner universities throughout the world, which was very enriching. It’s truly an advantage to enrol in a business school and leave five years later with three degrees!

KEDGE holds several events, such as MyWay days, that give you the chance to exchange with professionals, and they organise coaching sessions to support our career goals. These events gave me a lot of help in terms of constructing my professional projects.

How long have you been an expatriate?

I came here in September 2018 to do my final-year internship, so I’ve been in Melbourne for nine months.

What were your reasons for moving to Melbourne?

At the end of my final year, I got an end-of-studies internship at Evernex in Melbourne as a Sales and Marketing assistant. Initially, this internship was supposed to end last February, but after my boss left, they offered the job to me. I was quickly hired in the company. And I really like being in Melbourne!

I also chose to come here because I had fallen under the charm of this city when I came to do my first internship during my gap year. Melbourne offers young people great career opportunities and chances for advancement. Also, it's a very open city based on "relationships", which fits me totally!

What surprised you the most about this country?

The Australians use the word “mate” in lots of situations. This word means "friend", "buddy", or "pal", and creates a friendly bond between people. When I arrived in Australia, I was very surprised that they called me that at work, at the bakery, or at the supermarket.

What are your future plans?

For the moment I want to stay in Melbourne and continue my career in IT for several years. Eventually, I’d like to work in the wine sector for a distributor in Melbourne. I really enjoyed my experience in that sector when I was in Mexico, and there is a lot of potential in Australia.

Is there another country in which you would have liked to live and why?

Eventually, if I live in Europe, maybe I’d like to live in London. It’s similar enough to Melbourne. It’s an English-speaking country located close to France. It’s a good compromise, and I think I’d really enjoy it.

What advice would you give to a student or recent graduate who might consider trying a similar challenge?

Go for it! It's an incredible experience that allows you to learn a lot. You have to be ready and motivated to get started. It only has positive benefits!

Interview conducted in Melbourne by Emma and Manon, KEDGE Alumni Travel Pro-Act students. 

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