A successful anniversary: the MS MDCE programme turns 20

It had to be done! After two postponements, the MS MDCE (MS Marketing Data and e-Commerce) celebrated its 22nd anniversary in Paris on 22 September 2022 – it was meant to be!

Some sixty participants, alumni, students in the programme, and employees gathered on the rooftop of the new campus in Paris to celebrate the much-awaited anniversary of the programme. 

Jean-François Detout, MS MDCE Programme Director, made no effort to hide his excitement and joy in his speech: “What a pleasure it is to see you all at this long-awaited event (after 2 postponements), the members of the Executive Committee (with speeches by Alice Guilhon, Dean & Executive President of SKEMA Business School, and Patrice Houdayer, Executive Vice President of SKEMA Business School), the colleagues and lecturers, one of the first directors of the MS, and so many alumni, particularly Samir Amellal (SKEMA 2006), CDO at Auchan Retail, whom I thank for his speech. The MS MDCE is a programme that was extraordinarily ahead of its time (it was created six months before the dotcom bubble, in 1999) and has managed to adapt, to morph, and to grow into what it is today, the top postgraduate degree programme in digital and e-commerce, available on our Lille and Paris campuses as well as online. I am proud to be a lecturer in this programme since 2012 and to be the Programme Director since 2017. The MS MDCE has a strong DNA and year after year the cohorts are very attached and loyal to it. The next gathering? In Lille in 2023. Watch this space...”  

Digital entertainment punctuated the evening, with different prizes to be won – all products made by our alumni: Terre de Mars – candles, fragrance diffusers, beauty products (Poulad Djamali, MS 2009), Maison Sassy – sparkling apple juice, cider, rosé cider (Pierre-Emmanuel Racine-Jourden, PGE 2011). Congratulations to the three winners: Haouara Nessime, Laure Fiorito et Marwa Keskes.

The strength of this programme also lies in its close-knit and intergenerational community of alumni that attended this anniversary. 

“I’m thrilled to have been able to attend the 20-year anniversary of the MS MDCE. Even though I’ve not been an alumnus for very long, I loved being among a community of “old-timers”. It was a great opportunity to discover the many career paths taken after the master’s, to catch up with former classmates and professors, and especially to learn a bit more about this programme that is continually evolving. A convivial and friendly event, bravo!” Clara Mathey (MS 2021- Executive Education).

“As a graduate of the Class of 2009, I was curious to see just how much the programme had grown over the last 13 years! So I accepted SKEMA’s invitation to come and celebrate the programme’s 20th anniversary on the Suresnes campus. The event was enjoyable, with some very moving speeches, particularly the one by the creator of the programme. We were also treated to a bit of humour with a skit on artificial intelligence. The cocktail reception on the school’s rooftop then allowed me to connect with a number of alumni. I got to chat with different entrepreneurs and slip in a few words about my online business selling handball shoes. And finally, throughout the evening I got to enjoy the delicious food prepared by the caterer, Alchimii; I even got a presentation of the different preparations while chatting with Maxence. It was a great, successful evening. Thank you SKEMA and happy anniversary once again to the MS MDCE!” - Nicolas Genot (MS, 2011)

The founder of the programme, Marc-Lionel Gatto, was also there to celebrate this milestone: “The MS MDCE was born in 1988 and to my knowledge it was the first master’s in e-commerce to have been created in Europe (one year before HEC’s). A leader from the outset, the master’s was created, at the time, with the support of very young online entrepreneurs who have now become e-commerce stars.”

The celebrations ended with the sharing of a magnificent 20-shaped cake once the candles had been successfully blown out by the alumni and students present.

Thanks to all the SKEMA teams for organising the event. See you soon!

Photos © Lora Barra / SKEMA Business School