Valerie Gauthier
Industry: Education
Title: Associate Dean
Organization: HEC Paris
When Valerie Gauthier began her tenure as Associate Dean at HEC Paris in 2002, her first goal was to revamp the MBA program's curriculum. She applied the concept of "savoir relier," or making connections, to the program, placing a heavy emphasis in areas like organization behavior, HR management, negotiation and communication.
Gauthier also led initiatives like the Women in Leadership program, which aims to provide alumni mentoring and sensitize students to the unique challenges women face in the workplace.
"It's been incredibly powerful in giving these women the will to go out, invite more women to participate and to play a significant role," says Gauthier. "In that sense, we're creating momentum, a willingness and a desire for the students to do the same."
As a result, HEC Paris now lays claim to the most diverse b-school population in the West: about 35% of students come from Asia, 10% from Latin America, and the number of female students has nearly doubled from 16% to 30%. So not only is HEC Paris more well-rounded, but so are its students and arguably, the business leaders of tomorrow.
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Last updated June 17 2010: 5:11 PM ET
