ESSEC Business School and BNP Paribas renew their partnership for the Digital Disruption Chair

On Wednesday, December 5, during an official ceremony, BNP Paribas and ESSEC Business School renewed their partnership for the Digital Disruption Chair for a three-year period. The event was held at WAI Paris, the BNP Paribas co-working space dedicated to innovative companies. Yves Martrenchar, BNP Paribas Human Resources Director, Vincenzo Esposito Vinzi, Dean and President of ESSEC Business School, and Peter O'Connor, Professor of Information Systems at ESSEC and the Chaired Professor of the Digital Disruption Chair were in attendance. With the partnership renewal, the two institutions have chosen to prolong the existence of the chair which was originally launched in 2016 and the chair now becomes the "BNP Paribas Digital Disruption Chair."

The Digital Disruption Chair offers students an array of courses and experiences designed and selected specifically to help them prepare for a career in digital project management. Over the course of the chair, students examine questions about the impact digital technology will have in transforming businesses and customer relationship management with the aim of preparing them to work in increasingly digital organizations.

At a time when the means of communication are being digitalized, when the integration of multichannel processes are ever more present in customer relationship management, and when online sales models are becoming more prevalent, the ability to anticipate, invent, and study the impact on marketing and data processing pose a major challenge for companies. As such, it was deemed necessary to establish a dedicated program that would train and prepare the future managers of "digital business." To date, the BNP Paribas Digital Disruption Chair has a little over 60 alumni, 10 of which have joined the BNP Paribas Group in the context of an internship, a work-study program, a full-time position or to through the Digital Path, one of the Graduate Programs for promising young graduates in the digital field.

"In today's highly competitive environment, it has become essential to equip students with the skills necessary to manage companies that are increasingly digital. Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, thus, it is essential to understand, evaluate and integrate these developments in organizations. Thanks to the constant support of BNP Paribas, the students participating in the chair will be ready to take on the managerial challenges of the digital age." explains Peter O'Connor, Professor of Information Systems at ESSEC and Chaired Professor of the BNP Paribas Digital Disruption Chair.

"For several years now, digital transformation has emerged as one of the main challenges for companies; this is the case at BNP Paribas. Like any major evolution, we must evolve with it. For us, it is essential that the managers of tomorrow are aware of this so that they are properly prepared for the challenges they will face over the course of their careers. We are pleased to continue our collaboration with ESSEC Business School, an institution with which we share the desire to offer today's students an in-depth understanding of the impact digital technologies can have on businesses." adds Yves Martrenchar, Director of Human Resources and member of the Executive Committee of BNP Paribas.

"When I applied for the chair, I was looking for two things: to improve my knowledge of the digital sector and for a human experience. That is to say, I was looking to meet people who are just as interested in the subject as I am and who come from diverse backgrounds that can share their different points of view." says Roxane Albert, a former student of the chair.

By renewing this partnership, which was initiated in 2016 by BNP Paribas Digital Working Group and BNP Paribas Online Banking, the BNP Paribas Group becomes the exclusive partner of the Digital Disruption Chair. BNP Paribas actively participates in the chair by holding a seat on the Supervisory Board, by participating in the selection of the chair's students, and by providing practical case studies and organizing company visits. BNP Paribas also organizes presentations of the group's business divisions and offers lectures given by BNP Paribas employees on topics directly related to those taught by the chair.