Overseeing operations at Nike for 25 countries in Europe
- Keep In Touch
- Le 17 février 2016
Current position: Centre of Excellence Operations Manager, Customer Financial Services, Nike
Degree earned at Audencia: IMM 08
Other degrees: Bachelor of International Business, École de Management de Normandie, France; Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management, University of South Florida, US
Nationality: French
Residence: Amsterdam - The Netherlands
Professional path
Working at Nike as the Centre of Excellence Operations Manager in Customer Financial Services, Thibault oversees operations for about 25 countries in Europe, so every day is a bit different. Laughing, he says, “I prefer it this way, as otherwise I might get bored!”
Managing customer risk by overseeing the order-to-cash value stream means wearing many hats: compliance and audit, accounting, tech, operations, sales and so on. “We are the cornerstone of the company, in touch with sales, customers, financial planning, distribution centres – it requires a lot of interpersonal skills and a lot of people management.”
Thibault works with people from the UK, France, Germany, Russia and Central Europe, and each region has different cultures and approaches. “There’s no one-size-fits-all to communicate your message. It’s enriching.”
After graduating from Audencia, Thibault was contacted by a recruiting agency and moved to the European headquarters of Nike. He loves the world of finance and wants to continue learning about Nike. “The business is expanding, so there are many opportunities.”
Thibault has been with Nike for five years – and has had four roles within this time. “What I’m really looking for professionally is to keep learning and having fun.”
Passions
Thibault actively pursues a healthy work/life balance. “You can’t dissociate work from life. Happiness at work helps with happiness at home.”
He loves football and running – and of course, Nike has great facilities for staying active and happy at work. “There’s a lot of freedom and flexibility within the company. The job needs to be done, but you also need to take time to enjoy yourself.”
Most memorable experience at Audencia:
As a native of France, Thibault has a lot of great memories. “What really sticks with me from my time at Audencia are the people I met in the programme. I still stay in touch with some of my classmates.”
What links Thibault’s time at Audencia to his current daily life is his ability to communicate effectively with people of all cultures, personalities and backgrounds. “During the IMM, I spent time in France, Poland and Spain – and was always learning in the international environment of IMM students. I’m now able to leverage the skills I gained from that experience.”
Advice to students looking to work abroad
As a Frenchman living in the Netherlands, Thibault offers this perspective: “I think it’s natural for me to live abroad because I studied abroad. Living abroad requires curiosity.”
Staying in touch with Audencia
Thibault is still in touch with many of the friends he made during the IMM programme and hopes that an alumni chapter will be established in the Netherlands.
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