Julie Wang, Class of 2021

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND? 

Throughout my studies, I was keen to build dual expertise in economics and public affairs. The Sciences Po - University College London (UCL) double Bachelor's degree allowed me to develop a global perspective of social, economic and political sciences, before studying a Master's degree in Public Policy, in the Public Administration policy stream at the Sciences Po School of Public Affairs. 

In parallel to my studies, I was able to work at the crossroads of the public and private sectors, with an international focus. My experiences in international organisations (UNESCO, UN, WTO, UNEP) and in the civil service (Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, French Embassy in Thailand, Ministry of Ecological Transition) have allowed me to work on international initiatives related to topics I am passionate about, namely: education and social inclusion, trade and international development, economic and cultural diplomacy and ecological transition.

I quickly realised that my ambition to contribute to tomorrow's challenges required, above all, an understanding of a world in full flux, oriented towards digital technology. So I started to discover the 'tech world', and more precisely cloud computing, SaaS (Software as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service) through an internship at Amazon Web Services (AWS) in London and a final internship at SAP in Barcelona. 

WHAT WERE THE MAIN STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PATH? 

My digital economics courses at Sciences Po gave me an appetite for disruptive technologies (cloud, AI, big data, machine learning, blockchain), which has been reinforced during my professional experiences. 

During my internships in the public sector, I was able to understand the challenges of digital social innovation by working on various topics such as ICT in education, the digital divide and digital social entrepreneurship. My two years of experience in the high-tech startup scene (Fintech, Edtech, Medtech, e-commerce) in London brought me a concrete knowledge of the digital ecosystem, through connecting entrepreneurs with incubators and investors and organising fundraising events within the Sino-British Summit association. I was immediately fascinated by the innovative and dynamic nature of this sector. 

My internship at AWS was a turning point in my career direction. Working in B2B sales of cloud services, I felt like I was part of a technological revolution that was taking place in the world of business, where a paradigm shift was taking place on access to technology and the cloud was becoming the source of digital innovation led by startups and SMBs. The pursuit of this passion for digital innovation was then translated into an internship within the commercial teams of SAP France, where the digital transformation of private and public actors takes its full meaning.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR POSITION TODAY AT SAP?

In three words: human, innovation, adventure. 

I was above all struck by the human side of this tech giant. By 'human', I mean the respect of values and principles, the concern for the well-being of employees, the horizontal organisation less hierarchical and the mentoring culture. Relationships between colleagues and with mentor-leaders are created with a simple message on Teams. Sharing experience and advice is commonplace and has no borders. 

Innovation is at the heart of the Sales Development Executive business. On the one hand, we help companies to innovate in their organisation, their internal processes and their business model, by proposing adapted digital solutions and accompanying them in their digital transformation projects. On the other hand, we constantly innovate internally on our working methods, our commercial campaigns and our strategic approaches, while demonstrating creativity, agility and sensitivity to current affairs. 

This position is a combination of discovery, challenge and learning. Working on various sectors (manufacturing, energy, automotive, high tech, aerospace and defence, chemicals, transportation, industry 4.0, etc.), market segments (startups, SMEs, ETIs, large groups) and solutions, I never stay in my comfort zone and am constantly challenged to acquire new expertise. The balance between operational tasks and intellectual work requires strong organisational and time management skills. Daily communication with corporate decision-makers requires business acumen and insight into the issues at stake. For someone who has never had any training in business management, I can say that it is a real adventure and an extremely formative experience!

WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS DID YOUR STUDY AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION STREAM, HAVE ON THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY?

The Public Administration stream has given me a broad, public policy perspective on the topics I discuss with corporate decision-makers, allowing me to engage in interesting conversations with them about new regulations, data protection issues, and carbon footprint reduction. While my training in public administration may seem quite distant from my work, it has allowed me to develop analytical, synthesis and argumentation skills, communication and networking skills, as well as an important work ethic that I put into practice every day in my professional life. 

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE A STUDENT OR A FUTURE YOUNG GRADUATE?

Never limit yourself or censor yourself. Although you are asked to make choices and pursue a solid professional path, you must give yourself the time, freedom and courage to discover yourself, to seize several opportunities and to explore the whole range of possibilities, whether in the public or private sector, in France or abroad. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, to fail or to change your path. Take advantage of every experience, expand your horizons and pursue your passion!

learn more

• The Public Administration stream of the School of Public Affairs
• The Master in Public Policy of the School of Public Affairs

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