HEC Paris

25/08/2026

What does it take to build a business where few women are expected to work?

When Shalaka Lawrence told her family she wanted to launch a skincare brand in Bihar, India, the reaction was one of concern. Not because they doubted her abilities, but because they knew the barriers she would face as a woman entrepreneur.

After leaving a global leadership role at Accenture, Shalaka founded Revita, an organic skincare brand with a mission that goes beyond beauty. From convincing retailers to stock her products to overcoming prejudice and building trust, every step required resilience.

One moment changed everything: a distributor placed an order for 50 boxes with just 48 hours' notice. Shalaka spent two days and nights preparing more than 1,200 products almost entirely on her own. The order sold out, leading to a five-year partnership that helped accelerate Revita's growth.

Today, the company employs around 20 people, with products available in approximately 30 retail stores across Bihar and Jharkhand. But what matters most to Shalaka isn't the numbers, it's the impact. Women who joined Revita have been able to support their families, continue their education, move into better housing, and imagine futures that once felt out of reach.

Now an MBA student at HEC Paris, Shalaka is preparing the next chapter: expanding Revita to Europe while staying true to the belief that inspired her journey from the beginning, that empowering women starts with financial independence, opportunity, and the confidence to build something of their own.

19/08/2026

Quand Zachary Carreau est monté sur scène lors de la cérémonie de remise des diplômes d'HEC Paris, il n'a pas parlé de prestige ou de carrière. Il a raconté un parcours marqué par les opportunités reçues… et par la volonté de les transmettre à son tour.

Originaire de Saint-Étienne, premier de sa famille à intégrer une grande école de commerce, Zachary découvre les classes préparatoires quelques jours seulement avant la clôture de Parcoursup. Entre difficultés financières, la maladie de sa mère et les doutes, son chemin vers HEC Paris semblait loin d'être tracé. Une bourse de la Fondation HEC lui apporte alors bien plus qu'un soutien financier : la preuve que quelqu'un croit en lui avant même qu'il ait réussi.

Cette confiance devient un engagement.

À HEC Paris, Zachary s'investit dans la vie associative, préside Carrefours HEC, puis cofonde HEC Inspire, une initiative qui crée des rencontres privilégiées entre étudiants et dirigeants. En quelques mois, plus de 35 dîners sont organisés, avant un développement à l'international. Plus récemment, l'association a permis de lever plus de 40 000 € pour financer des bourses d'études et accompagner leurs bénéficiaires par du mentorat.

Pour Zachary, la réussite n'a de sens que lorsqu'elle permet d'ouvrir des portes à d'autres. Une conviction qui l'accompagne aujourd'hui alors qu'il débute sa carrière à Londres, et qui résume parfaitement son parcours : la plus belle façon de remercier ceux qui nous ont tendu la main est de la tendre à notre tour.

12/08/2026

What do HEC Paris professors think about AI in education?

Will AI replace us or simply redefine the skills we need? How should business schools prepare students for an AI-powered world? And what role should governance play as the technology evolves?

We asked HEC Paris faculty members to share their perspectives on one of the most transformative topics in higher education today.

In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge AI brings to education?

09/08/2026

What if catering could do more than serve food?

When Albane Lehalle co-founded Fika Traiteur, she wasn't just launching a catering company. She was rethinking the way events are organized to create meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The idea came after discovering ESATs, French organizations that employ people with disabilities. What struck Albane wasn't a lack of talent, but how little visibility these organizations received despite the quality of their work.

Together with her co-founder, she built a model where inclusion is embedded at every step: sourcing ingredients from ESATs whenever possible, preparing the food with disabled workers, and delivering events through mixed teams of disabled and non-disabled employees.

In less than two years, Fika Traiteur has catered for prestigious clients including Le Monde and Boston Consulting Group, as well as major events at Station F and international summits welcoming thousands of participants.

Today, as CEO, Albane is proving that social impact and business performance can go hand in hand. Beyond serving clients, she's helping make invisible talent visible, creating opportunities, challenging stereotypes, and showing that disability should never define someone's potential.

For Albane, entrepreneurship has always been about more than building a company. It's about building a more inclusive society, one event, one opportunity, and one person at a time.

07/08/2026

What will define the leaders of tomorrow?

During the International Advisory Board, we asked this question to Serge Ekue, Cecilia Weckstrom, Emmanuelle Wargon, and Tony Chedraoui. While each brought a unique perspective, a common thread emerged: the leaders of tomorrow will be those who remain curious, embrace change with courage, make thoughtful decisions, and turn vision into action. As careers and industries continue to evolve, these human qualities will become even more essential.

06/08/2026

What comes next for the HEC Paris Class of 2026?

On graduation day, we asked our graduates to complete one simple sentence: "The Class of 2026 will..."

03/08/2026

No pressure, no big goals, just a little reminder to enjoy the season. ☀️

31/07/2026

BRB. 🌴

The feed is running on scheduled posts.
The social media team is running on sunshine. ☀️

We'll still pop up in your feed from time to time, but if you slide into our DMs, we'll slide back... in September 😁

Have an amazing summer! 💙

29/07/2026

28/07/2026

Pendant trois semaines, Pierre et Syndou Ouattara, étudiants du programme Grande École, Master in Management à HEC Paris, ont partagé le quotidien des équipes du recueil social de la RATP, qui vont chaque jour à la rencontre des personnes sans-abri dans le métro parisien. Une expérience qui les a profondément transformés.

Ils y ont découvert des parcours de vie bouleversants, des personnes qui, malgré leur vulnérabilité, refusent parfois l'aide par honte, et des équipes qui, avec une patience et une bienveillance remarquables, recréent du lien humain un café, une discussion et un geste à la fois.

Au fil des maraudes, ils ont compris que l'écoute, l'empathie et la dignité ne sont pas de grands concepts, mais des actes simples qui peuvent changer une trajectoire de vie. Une rencontre, un regard ou quelques minutes d'attention peuvent parfois faire toute la différence.

À HEC Paris, le parcours Engagement invite les étudiants à sortir de leur quotidien pour mieux comprendre les réalités du monde qui les entoure. Parce que former des leaders, c'est aussi former des femmes et des hommes capables de regarder l'autre avec humanité.