Olivier Toison (SKEMA 2007), IT governance specialist

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I’m originally from the Pays de la Loire region of France, so I completed a three-year undergraduate diploma (French BUT) in Business and Administration Management at the IUT (institute of technology) in Nantes. Having always felt a pull for life abroad, I then decided to continue my studies in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I enrolled in a Bachelor of Business Administration programme.

Then, as I was keen to deepen my knowledge before hitting the job market, I joined SKEMA Business School’s Grande École programme (accounting and auditing track), on the Lille campus.

These academic experiences opened the doors for me to what I do now. Today, I work as an IT project manager specialising in the regulatory compliance of technologies, to help large companies keep up with constantly evolving legislation.

First and foremost, I chose SKEMA Business School for its academic reputation and its global outlook. I had always wanted to work in different countries. With its campuses around the world and its vast alumni network, SKEMA makes it much easier to build an international career.

One characteristic of the accounting and auditing course was its very fast pace with a dense timetable where classes were scheduled from 7am to 9pm. This prepared me well for the challenges of professional life, and has helped me to cope with the very busy periods at work.

There were also great synergies and close ties between all the students. Everyone helped each other to overcome challenges. This gave me a taste of teamwork and solidarity, which is essential in the working world. [...]