On May 12, 2025, at 18:00, the 2025 "EM Lyon Business School Night" was held on the 87.5th floor of the Shanghai Jinmao Tower, at the Cloudy Summit Wine Cellar, celebrating the grand opening of the EM Lyon Business School Alumni Club! The event brought together Madame Carla HAID (an official from the Consulate General of France in Shanghai), Mr. Oliver PEREZ (Director of the French Higher Education Agency in Shanghai), Professor Isabelle HUAULT (President and Chair of the Board of EM Lyon Business School), Professor Nicolas PEJOUT (Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the Board of EM Lyon Business School), Professor Wang Hua (President of the Asia Campus and French Dean of the Asia-Europe Business School of East China Normal University), Professor He Jiaxun (Chinese Dean of the Asia-Europe Business School of East China Normal University), alumni, partners, teachers, and students from around the world, all anticipating "Resonance 2028".
Opening Address | Uniting the Global Alumni Power
Ms. Peng Peng, Deputy Director of Alumni, Corporate Relations, and Career Services at the Asia Campus of EM Lyon Business School, enthusiastically commenced the event. She emphasized the alumni network's crucial role as the "cornerstone" of student career development, and extended a warm welcome to the attending guests and alumni. She then invited Madame Carla HAID (an official from the Consulate General of France in Shanghai), Professor Isabelle HUAULT (President of EM Lyon Business School), and Professor Nicolas PEJOUT (Vice President of EM Lyon Business School) to deliver their speeches.
Madame Carla HAID, an official from the Consulate General of France in Shanghai, opened the speeches. She congratulated the Sino-French educational cooperation and commended EM Lyon Business School for its deep engagement in China, facilitated by language and culture. She stressed that future cooperation should focus on innovation, environmental protection, education, and cultural exchanges, and praised the guests as vital promoters of cross-cultural collaboration. Madame HAID expressed her belief that cooperation between France and China will continue to deepen and achieve greater success in the new era of Sino-French and Sino-European relations.
Professor Isabelle HUAULT, President and Chair of the Board of EM Lyon Business School, then elaborated on the EM Lyon Business School's "Resonance 2028" strategic plan. She emphasized that the school will promote its development through five major pillars: academic excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, social responsibility, and a commitment to cultivating "maker-type" business talents equipped with a global vision and innovation capabilities. She also highlighted the Asia-Europe Business School's outstanding achievements as a model of Sino-French educational cooperation over the past decade, including its advancements in curriculum innovation and international integration. She urged alumni worldwide to collaborate with the school in building an open, diverse academic ecosystem, and to continuously generate value in the fields of academia, industry, and social responsibility.
Professor Nicolas PEJOUT, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the Board of EM Lyon Business School, focused his speech on the development and contributions of the alumni network. He announced that the new board members of the alumni association would foster synergy between alumni resources and the school's "Resonance 2028" strategy. He emphasized the alumni foundation's key role as a platform for supporting student development and promoting social equity. He urged alumni in China to actively participate in donations and mentorship programs to support the school's social responsibility mission and allow the "Lyon light" to guide the development of others. Highlighting alumni power, he announced new initiatives from the alumni foundation, calling on Chinese alumni to collaborate in supporting student growth and building a future characterized by social equity and environmental protection.
Certification Ceremony | School-Enterprise Collaboration in Cultivating Talents
The Asia-Europe Business School is a new type of international business school co-founded by EM Lyon Business School and East China Normal University, committed to cultivating compound business talents with an international vision. Through two-way faculty exchange and corporate mentorship programs, the school has fostered a connection between academia and industry, reflecting diversity and inclusion in its educational model, and becoming an important platform for promoting Sino-French educational cooperation and business innovation. As the Asia-Europe Business School celebrates its 10th anniversary, it was honored to invite Ms. Wang Yang (Visiting Professor at EM Lyon Business School, Deputy Director of the Global Center for Human Resources and Organizational Innovation, and a Global DBA student of the class of 2024), Dr. Qian Guoxin (founder of VHR Intelligence Leadership and an alumnus of the Global DBA class of 2019), Dr. Wang Qiang (Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Schneider Electric and an alumnus of the Global DBA class of 2019), and Dr. Chen Hui (Visiting Professor at EM Lyon Business School and Organizational Development Expert at Henkel Group) to serve as corporate mentors and provide practical guidance to students. A certification ceremony was held on-site for the Asia-Europe Business School's corporate mentors, with certifications presented by Professor Isabelle HUAULT (President and Chair of the Board of EM Lyon Business School), Professor Nicolas PEJOUT (Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the Board of EM Lyon Business School), Professor Wang Hua (President of the Asia Campus and French Dean of the Asia-Europe Business School of East China Normal University), and Professor He Jiaxun (Chinese Dean of the Asia-Europe Business School of East China Normal University). Asia-Europe Business School students were also invited to the event, and a group photo was taken to commemorate the occasion.
Ella TAYLOR, a BBA student from Ireland in the class of 2021, expressed her delight in attending the 2025 "emlyon Night". She particularly appreciated the Asia-Europe Business School's forward-looking training program, which integrates innovation, artificial intelligence, and career development, and expressed her strong belief that the school fully equips students with the skills to meet the challenges of emerging industries.ZAW YE HTET, a male BBA student from Myanmar in the class of 2024, said that attending the 2025 "EM Lyon Business School Night" and discussing education and the mission of the youth in a globalized context with professors was very rewarding. He believes that young people should possess global awareness, cross-boundary thinking, sustained curiosity, and a proactive spirit.Christine Chen, a female MIB student from Indonesia in the class of 2023, thoroughly enjoyed chatting with mentors and alumni at the event. She stated that the discussion on leadership in the AI era was highly meaningful and praised her classmates for their outstanding qualities.Polina Maliiutina, a female MIB student from Russia in the class of 2024, was particularly impressed by the mentor pairing ceremony. She was delighted to make new friends and found inspiration in the school's plans, which helped her clarify her future goals.
Following the certification ceremony, the cocktail party officially commenced amidst melodious music and the cheerful clinking of champagne glasses. Alumni raised their glasses in a toast and chatted amiably, reminiscing about their campus days over fine wine and food, exchanging workplace experiences, and exploring potential collaborations. This dinner, which transcended national boundaries and blended Eastern and Western cultures, not only brought the 2025 "EM Lyon Business School Night" to a perfect close, but also opened a new chapter in alumni friendship and school-enterprise cooperation. We eagerly anticipate meeting again next year to continue shaping the bright future of EM Lyon Business School!