Business at the heart of the student experience at Rennes School of Business

To prepare its students to understand global transformations and play an active role in them, Rennes School of Business closely links academic learning with professional realities. For 2026–2027, five business leaders and prominent figures with complementary backgrounds will embody this ambition alongside the School and several of its programmes.

07 September 2026

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Artificial intelligence, technological shifts, geopolitical developments, evolving professions, and changing consumer expectations: future graduates will operate in a constantly changing environment. Their education must therefore enable them not only to acquire knowledge, but also to understand ongoing transformations, measure their implications, and build their capacity for action.

At Rennes School of Business, this openness relies on building close relationships with corporate partners and the leaders who drive, transform, or analyse the business environment.

Bridge-building between academics and the professional world

The role of a programme sponsor extends far beyond a one-off presentation. Through their experience, their reading of contemporary shifts, and their exchanges with students, each sponsor creates a bridge between the academic curriculum and real-world business practice.

These encounters grant students direct access to concrete experience, sector expertise, and complementary viewpoints. They also give students the opportunity to discover inspiring and achievable career trajectories—shared by women and men who openly discuss their decisions, successes, challenges, and key learnings.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, five leaders from retail, journalism, marketing, finance, luxury, and technology will mentor Rennes School of Business and several of its key programmes.

Thierry Cotillard, sponsor of Rennes School of Business

President of Les Mousquetaires Group, Thierry Cotillard becomes the institutional sponsor for Rennes School of Business for 2026–2027.

A leading figure in French retail, he will share his leadership experience and strategic insight into corporate transformation in a sector directly exposed to changing consumer habits, sustainability imperatives, and evolving customer expectations.

Pierre Haski, sponsor of the Bachelor in International Relations and Affairs

Journalist and international affairs specialist, Pierre Haski is a geopolitical columnist for France Inter and Le Nouvel Obs. A former correspondent in Johannesburg, Jerusalem, and Beijing, he becomes the sponsor for the Bachelor in International Relations and Affairs.

His expertise will provide students with key frameworks to decipher geopolitical shifts, analyse their impacts, and better understand how international dynamics shape organizational decision-making—an essential perspective for future leaders navigating a complex global environment.

Caroline Dassié, sponsor of the MSc in Digital Marketing Management

Executive Director of Marketing, Own Brands, Data & Customer Experience at Carrefour Group, Caroline Dassié becomes the sponsor for the MSc in Digital Marketing Management.

Her career in leading multinational groups will help students understand how marketing and customer relationship management are being redefined at a time when data, digital technology, and shifting user behaviors shape brand strategies.

Gérald Karsenti, sponsor of the MSc in International Finance

An international executive who has held senior leadership roles across tech giants such as SAP, HP, HPE, Oracle, Capgemini, and IBM, Gérald Karsenti becomes the sponsor for the MSc in International Finance.

Standing at the intersection of strategy, finance, leadership, and technological disruption, his insights will help students navigate investment decisions, business models, and financial challenges accompanying corporate transformation in multinational organisations.

Antoine Tessier, sponsor of the MSc in Luxury Marketing & Brand Management

CEO of duPont REGISTRY Group and alumnus of Rennes School of Business, Antoine Tessier becomes the sponsor for the MSc in Luxury Marketing & Brand Management.

Having spent several years at LVMH, he built a career at the crossroads of luxury, technology, and customer experience. He will offer students actionable insights into luxury industry trends, evolving brand models, and changing consumer expectations in the high-end segment.

Understanding transformation to contribute to it

Through these five strategic sponsorships, Rennes School of Business reaffirms a core conviction of its pedagogical framework: understanding major contemporary transformations happens best through direct contact with those who live, analyse, and navigate them every day.

By exposing students to diverse expertise, real-world experience, and varied professional paths, the School helps them project their future careers, refine their ambitions, and develop their own capacity to drive change—preparing them not only to enter the professional world, but to actively shape it.

Bac +5 Alternance/apprenticeship Full-time