Xavier Bendavid, Class of 2014

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND? 

I began studying at the Parisian campus of Sciences Po in September 2009, after a competitive entrance examination reserved for French baccalaureate holders. I did my bachelor's degree and then my master's degree in public affairs with great joy. I remember those five years fondly, the third of which was spent in the vibrant and exciting Hong Kong, a memorable time in my student life! After a studious master's degree dedicated to the preparation of administrative competitions and prolonged by an additional year in prep'ENA, which was as demanding as it was intellectually stimulating, I worked for two and a half years as a consultant in a Parisian lobbying firm, Affaires Publiques Consultants, before joining Disneyland Paris, as a manager in the government affairs department. Since 2020, my duties have evolved and I now manage the CSR (social and environmental responsibility) department, still at Disneyland Paris. 

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

I started at Sciences Po wanting to do diplomacy because I had fantasies about the profession. I was also hesitating between marketing and communication, with a strong bias towards the luxury industry. In the master's programme, I finally opted for public affairs, the first-rate course of Sciences Po, thinking that I could always do communication and marketing later on. I did my end-of-studies internships at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at LVMH to confirm my career path. I then took the administrative exams like many of my fellow students. It was a thorough and intense preparation from which I emerged dazzled but sobered up. Although I was not selected to serve the State, I nevertheless wanted to serve my country and play a role in public decision-making. > 

I joined a lobbying firm where I learned the profession of a lobbyist, a misunderstood but very exciting profession for those who love public service, and one which is particularly useful for keeping democracy alive. It was an excellent postgraduate training for me. I loved co-constructing public interest from private initiatives. I was lucky enough to work with associations, start-ups and large groups, including Disneyland Paris, a childhood dream that came true a few years later. I then moved from public affairs to CSR internally at Disneyland Paris quite naturally, as these tend to invovle the same subjects, the same people and the same working methods.  

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR POSITION TODAY?

I manage the whole of CSR for Disneyland Paris: I lead the team and coordinate our strategy, our actions and our dedicated communication, ensuring consistency between the legitimate expectations of our visitors, our employees and our stakeholders and the ambitions set by the Disneyland Paris Executive Committee, the Disney parks staff and more globally, by The Walt Disney Company as a whole.

It's an exciting job, with international ties, which allows me to have a very concrete impact at a local level, particularly in relation to the challenges facing French society. My missions cover sponsorship, employee volunteering, professional integration of young people, accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion, responsible purchasing, sustainable development, health and well-being. 

For some time now, CSR has become central to communication and even more so to corporate strategy. The pandemic has accentuated this phenomenon and it is exciting for me to be leading a team on this topic at this time.

WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS DID YOUR STUDY AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, FORMERLY THE MASTER OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, MAKE TO THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY? 

The training in public affairs offered at Sciences Po is a terrific method for grasping subjects that are previously unknown to you and quickly grasping the main ins and outs. This is invaluable when you have to explain French sensibilities or the intricacies of administrative decisions to Californian decision-makers on a daily basis.

More than that, what the School of Public Affairs develops is curiosity and an intellectual openness to dive fearlessly into new fields and formulate proposals. You are not asked to be an expert yourself, but to be able to coordinate expertise in order to produce pragmatic and effective solutions. At my level, I coordinate experts internally at Disneyland Paris, who enable us to come up with solutions that advance our commitments and our reputation.

Above all, what I cherish about my education at Sciences Po is that the school trains free thinkers,who are intellectually sound and morally robust, capable of arguing as enlightened citizens and of positioning themselves in the debate of ideas without the risk of being caught up in relativism or weakened by cunning theories. In our time, this has become a rare quality, which I believe is the strength of Sciences Po graduates. In my daily professional life, it allows me to form an opinion and then to establish a strategy that I can then promote or defend. 

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

Sciences Po is a wonderful place to meet people and discuss everything. My advice to students would be to experience everything the school has to offer and to have more discussions with people who don't think like you. This is how you sharpen your thinking and form your opinion. As for young graduates, they have a solid academic background and should not be afraid to take the side roads to find their way and flourish. They should not seek convenient but lacklustre positions. They must always listen to their heart and always go towards what makes them vibrate, fascinates them, enchants them. This is how they will develop professionally. Finally, they should not hesitate to ask for help from former students. One is never as indulgent and available as to receive and help a Sciences Po student or young graduate.

* The School of Public Affairs, which houses the Master in Public Policy and the Master in European Affairs, was created in September 2015. The Public Affairs Master's degree in the general stream mentioned corresponds today to the Master in Public Policy, Public Administration policy stream. 

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• The Public Administration policy stream at the School of Public Affairs

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