CÉLINE RENY

Céline Reny is an EDHEC International BBA graduate. She joined the programme in 2015, where she built her curriculum in the wine industry thanks to work experiences at Pommery and Barons de Rothschild and also through her responsibilities in the CultuVin student society. Today, she studies at EDHEC's MSc. in Global and Sustainable Business.

After completing my Franco-German baccalaureate with honours, studying for an undergraduate degree at a major business school was an obvious choice for me.

I naturally gravitated towards EDHEC Business School, as its four-year undergraduate programme met the levels of excellence I was looking for. The programme would also enable me to forge a career with an international dimension. Consequently, I knew very early on that I wanted to be accepted for a double degree in Berlin in the third year of the BBA programme. EDHEC Business School’s student societies were also a factor in my decision. In my first year, I joined the CulturVin society, where I learned to work as a team and developed my interpersonal skills. Lastly, I chose the EDHEC International BBA programme because my ultimate goal was to study further for a master’s degree at a major business school. That wish is now a reality: I am studying for EDHEC Business School’s MSc in Global Sustainable Business.

Céline Reny wearing her CulturVin hoodie in the streets of Lille

My first two years at EDHEC were punctuated by exciting student-society activities. Right from the start, the much-anticipated society presentations and presidents’ speeches in the great EDHEC amphitheatre set the right tone. Originally from the Champagne region, I was immediately seduced by the CulturVin society. While there is a vast array of societies on offer, this one was perfectly in tune with my values: epicureanism, passion, volunteerism and an appreciation of the richness of French local produce. After numerous notable events, such as organising a conference with Philippe Faure Brac (the best sommelier in France), an event with Louis Jadot and another with Louis Roederer Champagne, I took over as head of the society’s communications division in my second year.

Despite my active involvement in student-society life, however, I was always careful to maintain a good academic balance. The compelling reasons for studying the EDHEC International BBA remained going abroad to study for a double degree in my third year and enrolling in a master’s degree at the end of my undergraduate programme. My drive and constant search for balance in my academic career bore fruit: I was selected to participate in an academic exchange in Berlin. Thus, I spent my third year studying at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, where I decided to specialise in Finance.

From the beginning of my exchange, I was determined not to spend all my time with other French students; I wanted to enjoy the multicultural character of Berlin. I made great friendships with students from Mexico, Switzerland and Poland. Berlin has left an indelible mark on both my identity and my career path, thanks to its basic human principles, such as the importance of sustainable development and the acceptance of others.

The other element I did not neglect was learning foreign languages: German and English. On a given day, I could speak three languages with different people and naturally switch from one to another.

Back in France, I opted to specialise in Audit and Financial Management for my EDHEC International BBA. This was the logical follow-on from my Finance focus in Berlin and it strengthened my focus and determination to gain technical skills in Corporate economic and financial management.

Céline Reny at her graduation ceremony on the Lille campus

Passionate about Champagne and the local produce of my home region, I completed my internship at Barons de Rothschild Champagne. For six months, I handled marketing, communications and public relations assignments. The small size of the company allowed me to carry out tasks that included creating internal control processes, sales and sectoral analysis and dealing with dry goods suppliers. The internship raised my levels of professionalism significantly, especially as my manager quickly knew she could trust me and gave me a lot of autonomy. I met an array of people involved in the Champagne business, from sales managers and suppliers to production managers and cellar masters.

I also had the chance to organise a major event: the filming of a German TV show by a partner of Barons de Rothschild. I spent two months organising a weekend in Champagne, which was also attended by 30 journalists from seven German media outlets. The TV programme was a cooking show, so I got in touch with some of the top chefs in the region and worked with them to prepare a gala evening, cooking classes and the like.

All these experiences served to confirm my career choice: to showcase French local produce on the international stage and to progress in an area closely linked to the French gastronomic sector.

Having taken all these steps along my academic and professional career path, I was keen to achieve my aim of furthering my studies with a master’s programme. EDHEC’s MSc in Global and Sustainable Business fit perfectly with my goals. For my end-of-degree internship, I worked as a network manager at the Culinary College of France in Paris. This experience was very much in tune with my academic path at EDHEC and my professional goals. It has allowed me to enhance my personal relationships with sustainable practices and to discover more about the world of French gastronomy.

In all honesty, I do not have a clear career path as of yet. I want to seek out and avail of as many opportunities as possible. However, I am determined to continue my career in the gastronomy sector. Consequently, I feel the need to evolve in an environment in which personal relationships are paramount.

By joining EDHEC Business School as an undergraduate, you are first and foremost choosing to develop a critical mind. More generally, the programme allows students to develop their knowledge on multiple subjects and issues. 

Second, you are choosing to internationalise your career by greatly improving your English language proficiency and by undertaking an academic exchange abroad.

Third, you are choosing an excellent faculty and quality student services. EDHEC's goal is the success of its students, whatever their career choice.

Lastly, I recommend EDHEC for the social life it has to offer. It was during my time here that I made my best friends and forged strong bonds.