Home>Virgile Billod, Class of 2019
03.02.2023
Virgile Billod, Class of 2019
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?
I grew up in a small town in the Haute-Saône region of France, quite far from the Parisian considerations in which I am immersed today. Next to my home was a small sub-prefecture. On the advice of a friend of my parents, I sent a letter to this public administration to do my professional discovery training course in "classe de 3ème" (9th grade). I discovered an environment which I liked and which above all triggered an obsession: to do a job in which I felt useful to others. >
After high school, I first joined the Institut d'Études Politiques de Strasbourg where I studied for four years, including a year spent at the Luiss University in Rome as an exchange student. I started to specialise in law and public administration and then I joined the School of Public Affairs at Sciences Po, with the idea of giving myself every chance to succeed in the competitive examination for the senior civil service. I entered the Master in Public Policy, Public Administration stream, and the rest did not go as planned!
After qualifying for the Institut National des Etudes Territoriales (INET), I joined the office of the President of the Département Côte d'Or, where I worked as a technical adviser and for whom I was a regular penman. I made a lot of progress during this stage, during which I contributed to the work of a very experienced public leader, who understood the importance of communication for the success of his mandate, and who was in fact particularly gifted in this area.
I then joined the cabinet of Agnès Pannier-Runacher, then Minister of Industry, as a speech adviser, i.e. in charge of speeches and written communication (editorials, prefaces, written interviews, various contributions). Of course, this experience confirmed the strategic nature of communication, but above all it enabled me to pass an important professional milestone. I spent a year in what could be described as a permanent crisis unit, having taken up my post at the peak of the pandemic, when the Minister was struggling to supply France with vaccines against COVID. It was a great honour and at the same time a trying time, with very high demands, an intensity that I had never known (not even at Sciences Po, and yet...) and an exceptional daily routine.
I really enjoyed this experience. But it's a job that you do temporarily. I also wanted to broaden my field of competence and to confront myself with new environments. That's when I heard about strategic communication consulting. This sector offered me the opportunity to combine my passion for communication and public affairs, my desire to continue to take on new challenges, and the overriding need to feel useful. Since spring 2022, I have been working as a consultant at Brunswick Group, an international strategic communications consultancy founded in London 35 years ago.
WHAT WERE THE MAJOR STAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PROJECT?
I would say that there were several "shocks" or realizations. The first was when I discovered the pleasure of working for others. What I liked was the idea of trying to act in the service of causes I believe in.
The second shock was when I left for higher education, far from my family and a bit of a precursor, as few people around me had followed this type of path. Getting out of my comfort zone was not easy, but looking back, it was one of the best decisions of my life to this day. I learned to stand on my own two feet, to reach out to others and to push doors...
Then there was the arrival at Sciences Po, the den of the "French elite" in the collective imagination, a place that for a long time seemed inaccessible to me. For three years, I did my best to seize the incredible opportunities offered by this school. I wanted to live the experience to the fullest, to get involved in the community life, to make the most of the courses.
Finally, there was my time in a ministerial office. Time passes twice as fast as elsewhere, the pressure is permanent and the responsibilities are taken on very quickly. "Autonomy", the head of the cabinet told me on my first day. It was a formative experience and completely opened up my horizons. I was lucky enough to work at the Ministry of Industry, the backbone of the economy. I got to know the business world and the different people at Bercy. I draw on this experience every day in the job I do now, which is not so different from what I did before. The similarities between the political and administrative world and the business world are palpable, and increasingly so.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR JOB TODAY AS A CONSULTANT AT BRUNSWICK GROUP?
I am fortunate to have joined a company that has strong values and for which people count, which is reflected every day in the activities we carry out for our clients. Brunswick Group is first and foremost a network of competent and talented people who work together across the globe. The international dimension of our organisation is evident, with 27 offices in 19 countries. Our clients are therefore, but not exclusively, large multinationals and listed companies, for whom communication is strategic in the sense that mistakes are not allowed. One wrong step, one breach in reputation, and the value of the company is immediately impacted, with serious consequences for the business and jobs. Our job is to take care of this reputation and to defend it when it is unfairly attacked. We are not doctors or lawyers, but we are not entirely unfamiliar with these roles in relation to our clients.
Working at Brunswick is a team effort. We believe in the confrontation of expertise and in collective intelligence. It is because we are united and have confidence in each other that we perform well. Communication is not always an exact science. To be effective, it needs to be tested and questioned. This is the basis of our daily work, which is a work where humility counts a lot. We have to ask ourselves a lot of questions in order to try to provide our clients with solid, well-constructed answers.
Finally, I would say that what makes our consulting work so special is the diversity of the subjects we deal with. No sector can do without thinking about aspects of communication and public affairs. Beyond that, communication is not a one-channel subject: corporate communication, internal communication, crisis communication or financial communication... It's very varied and stimulating, in line with the studies at Sciences Po.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR NEXT CHALLENGES WILL BE?
I don't have a crystal ball and I live without asking too many questions when it doesn't seem necessary. I have found a place where I feel comfortable to work, and where I hope to learn a lot. I am doing my best and I am confident in the future! One thing is for sure, I am not likely to be bored.
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF YOUR TRAINING AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS TO THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY?
There are many, and frankly, the list is far from exhaustive. However, we can try to identify a few highlights. First of all, it is a school that provides a very wide range of skills and knowledge, and which trains very well for the demands of the job market. In my opinion, a graduate of Sciences Po, especially from the School of Public Affairs, is someone who knows how to adapt and has a solid foundation that allows him or her to quickly become comfortable with the responsibilities entrusted to them. Knowing how to define what you are looking for, and where to find it, is increasingly essential in a world where data is multiplying infinitely. Being trained at Sciences Po enables you to reason in a structured and synthetic way. In my opinion, this is one of the things that recruiters look for in our profiles. We could also mention a few clichés such as open-mindedness, exacerbated curiosity and a good network. It is very complete and it is a school that can be the chance of a lifetime. It is thanks to this school that I was able to work in a ministerial cabinet and then join a group such as Brunswick. I am convinced of that.
WOULD YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE TO A STUDENT OR FUTURE GRADUATE?
Three pieces of advice come to mind. The first: accept a certain amount of uncertainty and doubt. Nothing can be taken for granted and there is no such thing as a clear-cut path, contrary to the ideals you may have as a student. Confronting this reality means maturing and becoming stronger in the face of the uncertainties of life and the professional world. Then, know how to build your network and learn to use it first and foremost to find good advice. It is by learning from the experience of others that your project will be refined. Finally, be daring! Get off the beaten track, explore avenues you hadn't thought of, discover new environments. Sometimes it's a risk, but it's also often the beginning of an adventure that will reward you in one way or another.
