Mobility and career development

Our major challenge for the future is to attract, recruit and retain the talents who will take part in the Group’s growth. We are determined to assist our employees in their career development and to facilitate their mobility within the Group.

Training hours including Least one training programme in 2015 18 hours of training

Worth knowing

The annual performance review is completed with a development interview that is a friendly dialogue between employee and manager about career path.
Talent reviews are regularly taking place between managers and HR to establish succession plans, personalised development and to prepare for mobility.

They talk about their career path

We value the experience that our people acquired with us and we are promoting their mobility within the Group. Given the diversity of our activities and the breadth of the VIVESCIA Group, the opportunities abound.
Our approach is unequivocal: to enable everyone’s career to progress, in a function or another, within the current company or in another of the Group’s.

Yves-Marie

Laurent

VIVESCIA Transport – General manager

Today you are the General Manager of VIVESCIA Transport and Agriliance but this was not always the case?

Indeed! I started to work for the cooperative “Providence Agricole” as a truck driver in 1981. In 1986, I wrote a memorandum to the management about a project for a new organisation of transports for a better coordination and optimisation of the flows and resources, which were very scattered at the time. I was fortunate to be heard.

At the time, you were called Professor Sunflower. Why is that?

This is because, in 1987, we conducted an experiment on biofuel and particularly on Diester. The nickname was a bit of a misnomer since this was mostly based on rapeseed! At the time, this was truly a pioneering project! There again, I was heard and my project received much support. We were then able to set up the monitoring of the fleet with, for instance, the control of fuel consumption. Over two years, I was also in charge of training for environmentally driving techniques, eco-driving as it is known today.

1989 was a new decisive step?

Yes, I had the opportunity to pass the Haulage Manager Certification that enabled me to fulfil new roles: I first became Transport Manager then manager in charge of the coordination of all the transport activities for “La Providence”. From 1992, I held the same role for Champagne Céréales. In 1995, I became Logistics Manager for the packaged goods and in 2003, I was promoted to Logistics Director in charge of the coordination of all upstream and downstream flows, from the collection of crop from the farmers to the delivery of goods to customers.

Until you became VIVESCIA Transport General Manager...

Indeed, in 2008 I was promoted to General Manager of the first transport entity "Agriliance" then of the second "Transalim" (that became VIVESCIA Transport) representing today 158 employees including 125 drivers and a fleet of 115 HGV always on the road. I lead the team of an organisation that works for the cooperative and VIVESCIA Group with has for main objectives the delivery of high quality service to all customers, the safety and the conformity to regulations. Transport remains a strategic activity that always seek to improve to ensure the delivery of the best performance expected by the market.

Looking back, to what is your professional mobility due?

During my career, I was fortunate that several people have trusted in me! Particularly Dominique Dutartre whom I consider as my mentor. He believed in me and in my abilities.

Is a similar progression still possible in VIVESCIA?

The progression process is undoubtedly more structured nowadays because VIVESCIA has become a large group but also remains a company where one can develop. The career plan is not rigidly mapped out and opportunities can arise. The challenge for the manager is to find equilibrium between:
• The recruitment of external candidates who bring added value to our companies but who also need to acquire the knowledge and values of the Group.
• The promotion of existing employees who, through their experience, know our activities and the fundamental values essential to the safeguard of our spirit of enterprise.

Frédérique

Baron

Grands moulins de Paris – Director Mangement Control

At first, your studies did not particularly lead you towards Management control?

That’s true, I have a Higher Education diploma in IT management. In 1985, I started to work as IT project manager at Grands Moulins Storione in Marseille. This company is now part of the milling activity of NutriXo within VIVESCIA Group, but it was first integrated into the Champagne Céréales cooperative where I became IT director for the milling division in 1990. At that time, I was frequently travelling between Marseille and Reims. In 1996, at the creation of Euromill, I moved to Reims, still in charge of IT of this new entity...

Mobility is truly defining your career path: geographic mobility and professional mobility.

Yes indeed! When Euromill became part of Grands Moulins de Paris in 2002, I had the opportunity to move from IT to a new professional area. I chose administration and financial management. Then, in 2005, I had another new opportunity: to carry on in this area, no longer in milling but in bakery in Romans-sur-Isère, for “Appétit de France”, a subsidiary of NutriXo. It might sound similar but even if the activities are linked, they are rather distinct.

The creation of VIVESCIA Group gave you the opportunity to progress once more?

My career path followed the pace of the mergers and acquisitions, both in terms of responsibilities and jobs, for which I am very pleased! In 2013, I became Director of Management Control for the Group’s milling activity (Grands Moulins de Paris). I currently lead a team of 20 people, located at the Paris head office and at the plants. More than ever, financial control is key function in the new structure of the Group.

Do you mean that, this time, it is your function that is progressing?

We aim at becoming the true business partners to the commercial markets, the processing plants, the whole supply chain…
The function of the management control has rapidly evolved the last few years, particularly with the restructure of our milling activity: a large company “united by excellence” and no longer a multitude of “independent” entities. At GMP, the role of the management controller now very much focuses on assisting with the decision-making processes with the support functions being undertaken by accounting and finance.

To summarise, in a 30 years career...

I will have fulfilled three different functions, a various level of responsibility, for two different activities, in three different locations, all whilst working for the same Group! This is the appeal of VIVESCIA that is always progressing. Who knows what the future will entail for me?

Hervé

Launois

Nealia – Field Director

Why did you join the Group?

I joined the Group rather naturally. My parents were farmers and VIVESCIA members (at the time, it was called “Champagne Céréales”). After my higher education training in agriculture, I applied to several companies in the area where I could use my skills. I received several offers but the one from Champagne Céréales was the most attractive: it was opening many development opportunities that other companies did not.

After that your progression was rather fast...

I started as storekeeper, then became Silo Manager, then Area Manager in charge of several silos. As the areas were redefined, I subsequently managed two areas. I was then promoted Cereals Manager in order to carry out the commercial strategy with the cereal producers.

What motivated you to join Nealia?

At the beginning of my career, my managers encouraged me to move forward. They helped me to get started and I am very grateful to them. This encouraged me to carry on: I decided to be in charge of my future. I left the cooperative where I was to progress towards a new job by taking advantage of the opportunities from VIVESCIA’s subsidiaries, in this case it was Nealia.

Nealia is specialised in animal feed. Quite different from your previous experience...

That’s true. Nealia is specialised in the production and distribution of animal feed made from vegetal ingredients. Therefore I left a position that was all about cereals to another that is all about animal nutrition. For me, it was a rather unchartered territory! Which can appear as surprising since they are both in agriculture, but they are truly distinct. VIVESCIA provides me much support with the technical knowledge and with the improvement of my management skills. Today, I am in charge of 65 employees.

Do you think that guidance and support are the Group’s main strengths?

Absolutely! This is a group that encourages talents and provides support to its employees. In fact, I am just about to meet a candidate and I am going to tell him just that. VIVESCIA is a large and global company where there are many different functions: with the right determination and skills, there are many opportunities for progression, either in the region or beyond. This is a major point of difference when compared to smaller entities without the equivalent breadth or power.

Any other comment?

Yes, and it is an important one: one can express aspiration and ambition at the annual career review. This is not always possible elsewhere!

Christophe

Guenin

VIVESCIA Services – Junior management controller

How did you hear about VIVESCIA?

I was looking for work experience for my Master. I searched the net and looked for positions around Paris... and a bit further. I found several at VIVESCIA and its subsidiaries. As I found them interesting, it encouraged me to know more about the group. I was fully convinced after the interviews. This is how I chose VIVESCIA.

And today?

After two years of apprenticeship, I signed my first employment contract following on the tasks my apprenticeship but with more responsibilities. A year later, I am progressing and have started new functions, always in management control.

What motivated you to remain at VIVESCIA?

I wanted to work in management control. During my apprenticeship, I felt trusted. I was given responsibilities and could lead projects autonomously, VIVESCIA enabled me to access to a level of responsibility that I might not have been given elsewhere. Also, VIVESCIA is a large group.

Were you attracted by the opportunities of mobility?

Yes, of course! Through its various entities, VIVESCIA offers many opportunities, in the Reims region as well as abroad. There are many prospects for progression and diverse activities. This is naturally appealing when starting a career!

Claire

Festuot

In charge of recruitment and Group talents management

What is your mission?

It is rather diverse but my specialty is the recruitment for short and long-term employment. I am also involved in the recruitment of temporary labour that, in our industry is very important: every year, in July and August, we must manage a wave of 600 temporary workers. Finally, I am also looking after the work experience contracts (6 months) that we are very much encouraging and wish to develop as much as possible. 3 year ago, we had a maximum of 3 to 4 apprentices. We now have 17!

How were you recruited?

I am a pure product of the Work Integrated Learning that we are developing. After a technical high school diploma, I followed a foundation course in commercial management then a HR degree in Reims with work experience and this was in 2007.

But did you know about VIVESCIA?

My entire family is in agriculture and from the region. So, yes, I knew about VIVESCIA but from the members’ perspective. I was used to go with the deliveries of grain to the cooperative’ silos. After completing my degree, I must say that I did not apply to many other companies, especially because I wished to stay close to the agricultural world...

Since 2007, you have remained within the HR…but did you change in position?

Yes, and in fact I never stayed in the same position more than two years! During my work experience, I was employed in the Payroll department and focusing on the development of new software. The next two years, I worked in the Training department. In 2012, I moved to Recruitment at a very exciting time of the creation of VIVESCIA Group through the merger of two cooperatives (Champagne Céréales and Nouricia). This merger was a time of cultural adjustment and of recruitment. Some projects are still in progress but are being implemented at their own pace. In conclusion, since 2007, I never got bored!

Are you going to carry on at the same pace?

Being part of VIVESCIA means that there are many ways to see the future. One can decide to remain in the region where there are many subsidiaries and functions available or to leave for far away locations such as China, New Zealand or USA with Malteurop that has sites across the world. One can also chose to specialise and join the various activities of NutriXo or, alternatively, to join smaller entities that require more versatility...

Is this range of options open to everyone?

Yes, potentially. Of course, it depends of the companies’ requirements and of the individual’s skills. But the Group promotes mobility: our dynamic training programme works hand in hand with the Group’s development with various courses such as management or health & safety that are key matters for us.

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Mobility and career development

Worth knowing

They talk about their career path

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