Master in Management - Head of Logistics Department at Decathlon
Armed for life
My interest in sales and marketing initially led me to study a DUT (2-year diploma) in Sales Techniques at Caen. Once I had graduated, I joined EM Normandie in 2012 via the Passelle competitive exam. From the very beginning I really appreciated the human scale of the business school, the atmosphere among the students, the international connections and the vibrancy of the student associations. During the first year of my Master’s, I was lucky enough to become the President of the Bureau des étudiants (Student Union). We organised events to bring the students together and enrich the communal life of the business school. It was my first managerial experience and I learnt a lot from it. I learnt how to serve my team and take responsibility. That knowledge was very useful during the 15 months in industry I took out during my studies, when I worked for SMTP.com in South Africa and the Les échos group in Paris.
I was part of the events team within the business. We organised conferences, workshops, took part in the Salon des Entrepreneurs and the DAF Congress... I found the logistics side of the role really interesting and I was able to meet some really inspiring people.
Management : guide your team in their development
For the last two years I have been at Decathlon, leading a team of forty people with a range of different approaches and skills. Together, we manage supplies to a number of stores in France and abroad. We ensure the sustainability of our operations and the safety of our site, a depot that covers 30,000 m2 where goods are received, stored and shipped out. We also support various initiatives, both locally and internationally, to continually improve the processes within the group’s supply chain.
While my work week can be very busy, I still find management exceptionally gratifying. You need to listen to your staff and understand their needs, and most of all bring out the best in them so that they can reach their potential. That’s why I want to listen to their ideas and support them to bring those ideas to life. One member of staff mentioned to me one day that we could use big elastic bands rather than plastic film to keep our products together. We followed up on his idea and saved several tons of plastic, which is great for the environment. That’s what management is: creating the conditions for everyone to take initiative and use their strengths!
Alumni EM Normandie, sustain the school’s values
Being part of a network gives you privileged access to information, and sometimes that can change your life! But the most important thing about EM Normandie Alumni is that it’s a group of people sharing their incredibly rich experiences with one another. One of the things the school taught us to make oneself available for other people!
Amine's advice :
" Take control of your own destiny! When you graduate from somewhere like EM Normandie, you’ve got the best tools you could wish for to make a career in business. So take a step back, and have a think about what you want to do with them. Don’t forget that charting your own course means innovating, sometimes failing, and getting back on your feet. It also means being proud of who you are and what makes you unique! "
