THIBAULT ANTOINE

Thibault Antoine is a senior consultant at a consulting firm in Montreal, Canada. After joining EDHEC Business School's undergraduate programme in 2011 and graduating first in his class, he embarked on HEC Montreal's Master of Finance programme in 2015. A year later, he began his career at Deloitte Canada, which has seen him rise through the professional ranks in North America.

Here, Thibault Antoine explains why he chose EDHEC’s bachelor's degree and how his four-year undergraduate course enabled him to build a flourishing international career.

FOUR REASONS FOR JOINING EDHEC INTERNATIONAL BBA

ATTENDING A BUSINESS SCHOOL STRAIGHT OUT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL

I chose EDHEC’s BBA programme for four main reasons. First, I wanted to attend a business school to open up as many professional opportunities as possible and to develop my international career. The vast range of specialisations offered by the EDHEC International BBA appealed to me, as this allowed me to take my time building my professional career path over the four years of the course. 

FORGING LINKS TO THE WORLD OF WORK

Second, my decision to apply for EDHEC’s bachelor's degree was down to the school’s ability to go beyond just a quality education and forge links between academia and the world of work. The challenge for young people today is knowing what path to take. EDHEC has several advantages in this regard when it comes to preparing you for the world of work:

• Up to 18 months of corporate internships that allow you to start your first job with meaningful, recognised professional experience.
• Compulsory immersion abroad as part of an academic exchange to build your international professional network and perfect your mastery of foreign languages.
• France’s premier alumni network (EDHEC Alumni), enabling you to get in touch with seasoned professionals all over the world.
• EDHEC Business School’s reputation, renowned among companies and recruiters – a mark of quality education. 

Thibault Antoine (second from the right)

‘LEARNING BY DOING’

Third, I chose the EDHEC International BBA for the quality of the faculty and its modern teaching methods. As most of the professors are active professionals, they share their on-the-ground knowledge with students. Also, numerous case studies allow you to put theory into practice in concrete corporate situations. This way of learning by doing engenders a real passion for the subjects taught.

BENEFITTING FROM EDHEC’S REPUTATION

Last, I also had a personal reason for going to EDHEC: my older brother was a student there. We naturally talked a lot about the school where he pursued his undergraduate degree, and his success was a great inspiration to me. His professional success in strategic consulting for a company abroad convinced me.

EDHEC International BBA Class of 2015

FROM THE EDHEC INTERNATIONAL BBA TO HEC MONTREAL

SPECIALISING IN FINANCE AT EDHEC

After completing the two-year core element of the Business Management programme in French, I embarked on an academic exchange at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea. There, I worked a lot on my English. This gave me confidence in my ability to work in English in my future career. In addition, the courses were very varied (economics, marketing, finance, etc.) and taught by professors of different nationalities. This experience was very rewarding and confirmed my desire to pursue an international career.

Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea

Back in France for the second semester of the third year of my bachelor's degree, I chose to specialise in finance. Then, in my fourth year, I specialised in banking, insurance and wealth management. I concluded my undergraduate degree with a six-month internship at Société Générale. I learned a lot from this work placement, during which I took on my first major professional responsibilities.

At the end of the internship, Société Générale offered me a permanent job. However, the desire to continue my studies and gain further experience abroad proved too strong. That's why I turned down the offer and decided to study for a Master of Finance degree at HEC Montreal.

Thibault Antoine - HEC Montréal

ACHIEVING HIS MASTER OF FINANCE DEGREE AT HEC MONTREAL

I became immediately aware of HEC Montreal's rigorous academic requirements. I was once again grateful for the quality of the teaching provided by EDHEC, but also realised that the BBA programme was perfectly in tune with the expectations of a graduate degree. Some of the advanced concepts I was taught in my last year of the EDHEC BBA put me right at the level required by HEC Montreal.

In addition, my university exchange in South Korea had prepared me for student life abroad. Indeed, when I arrived in Montreal, I was already familiar with a school system inspired by that of the US (the school systems are similar in the US, Canada and South Korea): fewer class hours, more individual work and a different relationship with lecturers. This put me instantly at ease in my new environment and I was able to focus on my work. I realised that I was one of the best-prepared students to achieve the Master of Finance degree from HEC Montreal and I finished first in my class.

Thibault Antoine - Fondation HEC Montreal

EDHEC is a business school that is open to the wider world. I felt that from my first moment on campus. The presence of students from around the world, its global educational vision, the Anglo-Saxon method of learning by doing and its emphasis on language learning are all elements that help students to pursue an international career. In addition, its network of more than 160 partner institutions for exchanges abroad is a considerable asset. 

The school’s reputation stretches far beyond France’s borders. I realised this at a job interview in Montreal when a seasoned professional told me of his admiration for our school and its graduates. My current company in Montreal regularly hires interns from EDHEC Business School.

Lastly, the career paths of EDHEC alumni perfectly illustrate the opportunity to have an international career, with 82% in positions with an international dimension and 30% starting their careers abroad.