Read the interview of Sandrine Rampont, Kedger, entrepreneur, and author

To begin, tell us about your educational background. What did you study, both before and at KEDGE?

Before attending KEDGE, I took prep courses for the business grandes écoles at Massena high school (Nice). Once in the school, I was attracted by finance and international management.  I did my last year in an Erasmus exchange at HES Amsterdam (Hogeschool von Economische Studies).

Tell us what you did after your studies were finished. What positions have you held? What did you learn in those positions?

Three years in as product manager and then conference market manager for SMEs (des Rencontres d'Affaires, now Comundi), which was a very stimulating environment both intellectually and personally, then moving to CEO of the company before it was sold to a large international group (Reed Elsevier).  I served as CEO for seven years and performed different tasks, including training and events, BtoB publishing, press, and digital. Then, I left to do an entrepreneurial venture in an ETI under LBO (Infopro Digital), for 11 years, as a partner and Director General of various press, exhibitions, training, publishing, and digital organisations. 

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What are you doing now? What gave you the idea and desire to do what are you doing today?

Over the past year I’ve been setting up my own business, Matière Bleue, with the ambition of investing in the education and training sectors by taking stakes in companies and carrying out activities in these sectors. I’m working on this project with entrepreneurs and investment funds.

MATIÈRE BLEUE

I took advantage of this period to look back on the operational positions had held to write a book on management, "Sometimes Unmanageable, Always Brilliant" (Eyrolles publishing), which gives keys to managing staff with high potential (HPI/THPI), and shares a talent management model in the broad sense, which combines disciple and kindness.

High potentials are sometimes described as unmanageable: they can go beyond their given responsibilities, express opposing opinions, challenge decisions, etc. Their intellect, sensitivity, and intuition make them rare, brilliant, and disconcerting employees, who often leave those who interact with them defenceless. With numerous anecdotes, and rich in examples and practices, this work deciphers their behaviour at work and shows managers, HR directors, and executives how to construct effective and lasting relationships with them. eyrolles.com

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What are your business goals for the future?

Create new activities and invest in businesses on the side of other entrepreneurs in France and Spain. At the same time, I plan to join a board of directors as an independent director, to contribute to the implementation of responsible governance.

How did your education at KEDGE Business School help you become who you are today, and which of its courses helped you develop your project?

KEDGE has given me, not only a high-quality education, but also lots of pleasure. Finding work after I finished was difficult because the labour market was tight and large companies favoured graduates of Parisian grandes écoles. However, I have no regrets because starting off in an SME taught me very quickly both how to be autonomous as well as how to "multi-task" which helped shape the rest of my professional career.

If you had any advice for any KEDGE graduate who would like to do something similar, what would it be?

Have confidence in yourself, take as many opportunities as you can that will let you learn new skills, and maintain your network.

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