Laure Gandouet

Laure grew up in the South-West of France, in Bordeaux, in a family marked by a gendarmerie heritage, a sense of duty, and a taste for effort. Her childhood was happy, surrounded by an older sister she remains close to. At a very young age, rhythmic gymnastics taught her discipline, endurance, and the joy of passing on knowledge: she participated in the French championships and was already coaching younger girls. Her parents gave her a simple and powerful compass: the important thing is to always have a choice. This phrase fueled her need for autonomy, independence, and confidence.

After obtaining a science baccalaureate at 17, Laure went on to preparatory classes in advanced mathematics. She entered environments where girls were few and far between, and even less visible in engineering paths. Graduating with a degree in chemical engineering, she went through a real period of questioning: she was surrounded by chemistry enthusiasts, but did not feel fully in her place. Rather than locking herself into this feeling, she chose a dual degree in business organization and management. The courses taught by business leaders opened a door for her: creating value also means taking care of people and allowing everyone to progress.

Internships became real laboratories of choice for Laure. In the industrial sector, she learned a lot but felt it wasn't her environment. At IKEA, she discovered an ecosystem closer to what drives her: people, organization, the field, and the concrete life of a company. This experience showed her how much internships can help young people build their career paths. You don't just choose a job from a description: you understand it by observing the places, the teams, the rhythms, and the values that make you want to get up in the morning.

Over fifteen years, Laure has managed a lot. For her, leading is not about doing everything yourself, but making the movement of others possible. She establishes trust, clarifies the course, and maintains high standards that help everyone progress. What she loves most about her job is supporting people and seeing that, together, we can achieve extraordinary things. Her pride also comes from very concrete progress: seeing people gain autonomy, develop their skills, and build their career paths. Management then becomes a way to help people grow, not just results.

Laure evolved in male-dominated environments for a long time without immediately putting the subject of men and women at the center of her story. An experience later reminded her how much a company must build a framework that protects, a sincere proximity, and attentive listening. Since then, her leadership also carries this attention to weak signals: who isn't speaking? who doesn't dare? what framework truly allows everyone to express themselves? Her message to young people is clear: do not let limiting beliefs choose for you.