Nurturing future leaders: How developing business leadership skills has fuelled new passion for ex-engineer

Successfully switching careers from chemical engineering to marketing. Getting certified as an executive coach by the International Coaching Federation. Co-authoring a book and even becoming a yoga teacher.

If there was one pivotal moment in her life to which Emmanuelle (Emma) Quentin could connect many of her work and life accomplishments over the last 17 years, it would be when she made the decision to study at ESSEC Business School in 2007.

At that point, at the age of 24, she had already worked as a research and development scientist, and was working as a quality coordinator in a chemical manufacturing company in the United States. 

Though trained as a chemical engineer, she had always felt more drawn to people-centric roles within the business, such as marketing, sales and human resources, as she had a strong desire to connect with people, understand their needs and help them grow. 

So when she had to decide between taking on a PhD in chemistry or applying to business school, she opted for the latter without hesitation, enrolling in the Master in Strategy & Management of International Business (SMIB) programme at ESSEC. 

Since then, the proverbial doors of opportunity have opened up for Emma.

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During her time at ESSEC, she participated in the Asian Strategy Challenge (ASC), a consulting project that provided her with the opportunity to work on real-world business challenges faced by leading companies. 

Emma’s involvement in the ASC proved to be a turning point in her career. As part of the programme, she provided consultation to GE Healthcare, which led to her securing a position with the company after graduating from ESSEC. 

Over the next decade, she worked her way through the ranks to become the business director of the company’s life science segment. Today, she is the Vice President of Urology Critical Care at global medical technology firm BD, where she spearheads the business development strategy for her business unit.

Exploring new passions 

Inspired by her former classmates, many of whom she is still friends with today, she contributed a chapter on the secrets of successful female leaders for a new book on supporting women leaders in healthcare.

“What my ESSEC school experience taught me was that it was okay to be different and I didn’t need to have all the answers before trying something new. It inspired me to express ambition which I did not realise I had before,” she says.

Even with her accomplishments, Emma firmly believes that working professionals should take the initiative to continuously develop themselves, professionally and personally.

“Upskilling and reskilling keep you relevant and confident – which is especially important in this volatile job market,” she says. 

Even training to become a yoga teacher was her way of overcoming potential cultural barriers and improving how she communicated with her team at work. 

She explains: “Non-verbal cues make up a large part of effective teaching, and my yoga teacher training has helped me to improve on that.” 

ESSEC’s strong reputation in having an open, diverse culture that encouraged authenticity and personal development was also why she decided on doing her studies there all those years ago. 

For Emma, the SMIB programme being conducted at the ESSEC campus in Singapore was also a bonus, as she had wanted to explore living in Asia following stints in the Netherlands and the US. 

During her coursework, she gained practical insights, learning about mergers and acquisitions from a CEO of a global company and receiving tips on drafting contracts through an international trade course. The knowledge from the international trade course, she says, has been useful even till today, as she often deals with contract negotiations. 

Diverse backgrounds and cultures 

Coursework aside, Emma says the highlight of her school life was the diverse student body, where coursemates hailed from all over the world from a variety of industries ranging from political science to corporate finance. 

“My classmates were all daring and curious, and that created an environment where everyone was comfortable being themselves and trying new things. This goes back to why I chose ESSEC – besides the academic experience, I got to form meaningful connections and learn from diverse perspectives in a supportive community.”

For the next phase of her career, Emma aims to inspire and nurture the next generation of leaders – whether through her executive coaching course or volunteering her time to share leadership lessons through ESSEC alumni events. 

She recently participated in an ESSEC alumni panel session, where she provided advice on how graduates could stand out in a competitive job market.

Arriving at her purpose of fostering human connections and empowering others to grow is a full-circle moment for Emma, who spent her formative years at the local pharmacy in the town of Venerque in France, where her grandmother worked. 

She recalls how people from the town would visit the pharmacy, not only to seek medical advice but to also find a listening ear for their personal problems. That, she says, made her realise the collective power of people coming together to help one another.

“Even though I’ve worked in many functions in my career, supporting others was always the common thread,” she says. “As leaders, we were helped by the mentors in our lives, and I believe it’s our responsibility to pay it forward to the next generation.”

More information here about ESSEC Business School.