Laurene Jullien (SKEMA 2007): “Nine years in Asia teaches you agility and forces you to adapt”

Laurene Jullien (SKEMA 2007), a 38-year-old mother of three, got the opportunity to spend nine years working in Asia: two in Shenzhen and seven in Hong Kong. This woman with a passion for Asia and for travel in general talks to us about her experience abroad and her career change.

Can you tell us about your studies and your experience at SKEMA Business School?

After completing an advanced vocational training certificate (French BTS) in sales and marketing in 2002, I spent a year studying in Australia. That first experience was pivotal for me and it’s what sparked my desire to work abroad. When I returned to France, I joined the Master’s in Project Management programme on SKEMA’s Lille campus. I chose SKEMA for several reasons: first, the interviews and welcome I got as a student sitting the competitive entrance exams made an excellent impression on me, and second, SKEMA was performing very well as a school and had plans to expand internationally. I met a lot of great people during my years in Lille, thanks to the student associations in particular. During my time at SKEMA I was also able to discover other countries: I interned in Thailand, and I travelled in Asia and South America during my gap year.

What choices guided you towards a career overseas? (Shenzhen in China, and then Hong Kong)

I joined the TCL Communication group in Paris after interning there. Then after three years in the Marketing Europe team I was offered a position at the group’s head office in Shenzhen. I was very interested in this new challenge and the possibility of a new experience abroad, so I jumped at the opportunity. I was also very keen on the idea of living in Asia. Because it is a part of the world that is especially dynamic, with a lot of career opportunities.  But also because it was a way to get out of my comfort zone and expose myself to other cultures, on both a personal and a professional level. It is fascinating to be able to work and live with people from different cultures; it teaches you agility and forces you to adapt and to be openminded. If I have one piece of advice for students it is not to restrict your internship options, especially during your gap year. The experience you gain from your internships can be a launchpad for an international career.

You held several positions at TCL and then at LVMH. Can you explain the opportunities that arose for you?

That’s right, I worked for 11 years in consumer electronics (TCL Communication), in regional positions at first and then global ones. Through these I gained experience in operations/markets first, then global/strategic experience. After those years working in B2B, I felt the need to get out of my comfort zone and develop my B2C/retail expertise. Radically changing careers and moving to retail wasn’t particularly easy after so many years in the same sector. But thanks to a healthy dose of motivation, networking, and thanks also to Asia’s dynamism, I was able to join the LVMH group and work for the cosmetics brands Givenchy and Kenzo as Marketing Manager Export Asia Pacific.

Has your Asian experience changed the way you work and live?

Yes, that’s for sure. I love working in a multicultural environment that pushes you to adapt, to be agile and curious. I’m especially fond of Asia because it’s a region that is full of surprises, that is buzzing with activity, and where there is such a wide variety of cultures, history and gastronomy. There is a sort of constant energy; whether in Honk Kong, Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh... life never stops. 

Have you stayed in contact with SKEMA and your classmates?

Yes, of course! I am still in close contact with my SKEMA classmates and I’m also connected to the SKEMA Hong Kong alumni.

What can the network do for you right now?

To be honest, when you’re a student you don’t truly realise the power of the network. But it’s a crucial ‘tool’ for exchanging, getting information and sharing experiences – it can absolutely be a springboard towards new professional opportunities.

Contact: Laurene Jullien