Alexandre Fongaro, class of 2017

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?

>After obtaining my baccalaureate in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, I took part in a one-year cultural and linguistic exchange programme in Brazil. I learnt Portuguese, discovered an immense country, and above all I met unforgettable people!

When I came back, I joined the IEP in Bordeaux, as a part of which I did a year of exchange in the United Kingdom, before joining Sciences Po for a Master in Public Policy.

As part of this master's degree, I had the opportunity to do an internship and then a work-study program in the Institutional Affairs Department of Kering, a global luxury group. This was an intense period because I was also involved in politics in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

I am now in charge of Institutional Affairs at Kering. In particular, on behalf of Kering, I am involved in the preparation of the B20/G20, which will be held in Italy in October. At the same time, I teach a course at CELSA and I am involved in equal opportunities in education with the Télémaque Institute.

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

When I entered Sciences Po, I had just completed two internships: one at the French Consulate General in Los Angeles, the other with Alain Juppé at the Bordeaux City Hall. I wanted to become a diplomat, like many of my fellow classmates, and I was preparing for the ENA and Quai d'Orsay entrance exams.

My first internship at Kering changed the situation, and took me away from this objective. I realised that one could fully contribute to French and European influence by working in the private sector, especially for companies as emblematic as those that make up the Kering group.

HOW DID THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS AT KERING GO FOR YOUR APPRENTICESHIP? DID YOU HAVE TO TAKE ANY OTHER SPECIFIC STEPS FOR YOUR PERMANENT CONTRACT WITH THE HR DEPARTMENT?

When I signed my work-study apprenticeship contract, I had already completed an internship with the Group. The opportunity was therefore obvious to me and this new status helped me to integrate with the company's employees.

My recruitment process for a permanent contract was then very smooth. I had just spent almost two years in the Group, I had the trust of my hierarchy and I was therefore able to benefit from the creation of a new position within the management team in a context of the increasing importance of our missions.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR JOB TODAY?

The Institutional Affairs Department, to which I belong, provides the interface between the Group and its companies on the one hand, and on the other hand, the public players in the broad sense, in France and abroad.

In concrete terms, this means participating in the work of the organisations of which the Group is a member, ensuring operational monitoring of public decisions that may influence our activities, contributing to the proper information of the general management and, more broadly, promoting our institutional footprint over the long term.

WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS DID YOUR TRAINING AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MAKE TO THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY?

First of all, I must say that the Sciences Po method has proved itself. It trains you to analyse and synthesise, and ultimately allows you to undertake research on subjects for which you do not necessarily have initial expertise.

Beyond the methodology, the courses have given me in-depth knowledge that I use on a daily basis, in particular those of European issues, international issues and public finance.

I would also say that the course has contributed to making it easier for me to speak in public, thanks to the many presentations and speeches that are part of our courses.