Cedric Laforge (SKEMA 2012)

Meet your Luxury Business Club Ambassador 

Could you tell us a little about your journey since graduating from SKEMA Business School and what motivated you to become an ambassador of the SKEMA Alumni Luxury Club?

After completing my scientific baccalaureate, I spent two years in preparatory classes before joining SKEMA Business School in 2009, on the Sophia Antipolis campus.

There, I had the opportunity to enroll in the MSc in Luxury & Fashion Management (LFM), which is designed to train future leaders in the luxury industry.

During my gap year at SKEMA, I completed an internship at Hermès in Paris as a Marketing and Sales Assistant for the company’s e-commerce platform. It was a fascinating experience, as we were truly at the forefront of digital luxury marketing, and Hermès was a pioneer in this field. I was able to apply everything I had learned at SKEMA, which allowed me to immediately contribute to this incredible Maison.

I then complemented this first professional experience with a second internship in the luxury sector at Cartier, where I worked as a Product Manager Assistant for their watchmaking division in the French market. This role brought me even closer to my area of passion—Haute Horlogerie—a field I have been passionate about since childhood.

As ambassador, how do you plan to bring energy and life to the Luxury Club? Can you share any ideas for initiatives or for events you’d like to run?

Together with my fellow ambassadors, we are deeply motivated to create a true sense of dynamism within our community by engaging with all enthusiasts of the luxury industry. Our goal is to organize events focused on relevant themes and to energize our community by featuring renowned speakers from the field.

For instance, we aim to draw inspiration from initiatives that shaped my time at SKEMA, such as the SKEMA Luxury Summit, which brought together industry professionals to exchange ideas on specific topics. This format could be adapted for our Club, offering conferences or webinars hosted by recognized experts in watchmaking, jewelry, or luxury management.

In addition to the online events we are planning, we would love to organize an in-person gathering to encourage more informal exchanges between members and speakers. These events could take place in iconic luxury venues, such as workshops, galleries, or showrooms, to provide an immersive experience within this universe.

Finally, I hope to foster mentorship and networking opportunities within the Club, drawing on my personal experience as a mentor for SKEMA students. This could take the form of workshops or coaching sessions to help members with their projects and guide them through the challenges of this demanding industry, while encouraging them to embrace their uniqueness and develop their expertise.

What message would you like to send to our alumni to encourage them to join and become actively involved in the SKEMA Alumni Luxury Club?

The Luxury Club is a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with the collaborative spirit that marked our years at SKEMA and to strengthen our network in a sector where sharing knowledge and experiences is essential.

Every alumnus has a unique background and valuable insights to contribute. By joining the Club, you can not only expand your network but also participate in exciting discussions and inspire others through your own experiences.

We aspire to make the Club a platform where everyone can thrive—whether by attending events, leading workshops, or sharing their expertise as a speaker. Together, we can invigorate this community and showcase SKEMA’s excellence within the luxury industry.