Interested in understanding how winning strategies are built inside the world’s leading companies? Mines Nancy, together with the Student Union (BDE) and Alumni, invites you to an exceptional conference with Xavier Fontanet, former CEO of Essilor and strategy professor at HEC. Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 – 5:00 PM – Amphitheater 200
Why should you attend?
Because you will:
-
Discover the fundamentals of business strategy, explained by one of France’s leading experts in corporate leadership and competitive strategy.
-
Experience a new way of learning strategy through the Strathena strategy game, widely used in top business schools to understand real-world decision-making.
Who is Xavier Fontanet?
Xavier Fontanet began his career at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) before joining the executive management team of Bénéteau.
In 1991, he joined Essilor as Managing Director and later became Chairman and CEO.
Under his leadership, Essilor experienced remarkable global growth, driven by strategic principles inspired by BCG methodologies.
He stepped down in 2010 after more than 20 years at the head of the group.
Since 2012, he has been an associate strategy professor at HEC Paris, a regular columnist for Les Échos, and the author of several influential books.
His first book, “Si on faisait confiance aux entrepreneurs” (“What if We Trusted Entrepreneurs”), became a major success in France.
Event Schedule
-
5:00 PM – Welcome (Amphitheater 200)
-
5:20 PM – Conference & Q&A Session (Amphitheater 200)
-
7:00 PM – Networking Cocktail & Informal Discussion with Xavier Fontanet (Rooms A003/A004)
