What was your background?

I first became involved with associations, notably the Fage and Restos du Cœur, while studying law at Nanterre University. These years were essential in structuring my commitment. I eventually turned to sociology, communication and political science, with a DEA thesis on NGOs as new players in international relations, and the notion of global public opinion.
As such, I was part of the French NGO delegation at COP 5 on climate change in Bonn in 1999. At one time interested in academic research, I preferred to live out my commitments and work in the voluntary sector.

After a short stint as a parliamentary assistant at the European Parliament, I was in charge of communications and lobbying for French NGOs during the French Presidency of the European Union in 2000, working with Coordination SUD, the network of 160 leading French NGOs. Then I was in charge of communications for Alimenterre, created by the French Committee for International Solidarity (CFSI), before spending over 4 years in charge of external relations for the Max Havelaar association, which developed fair trade in France.

"I love connecting issues, organizations and the people who embody them.
So I wanted to create a business to support associations, foundations, public players and companies in their communication and influence.
The Relations d'utilité publique agency was born in 2006. "

Today, there are a dozen of us at the agency, and we cover the full spectrum of communications: brand strategy, press relations, campaign creation, events, digital tactics, graphic design and copywriting, influence. We operate in all sectors of public interest: medico-social, health, ecology, sustainable agriculture and food, youth and education, CSR, culture, responsible sport... For our 15th anniversary, we changed our name to RUP, because that's what everyone had been calling us for years!

 

What resources do you draw on to move your projects forward or exercise leadership?

I didn't set up my own business, as the agency is a member of COOPANAME, France's largest activity and employment cooperative, a shared enterprise that brings together over 600 salaried entrepreneurs. In particular, we share administrative and financial services, cash flow and training. What's more, we've devised a special way of operating within the RUP agency, as there are no managers or hierarchical links between us, even though a five-person steering committee makes decisions collectively and by consensus.

"If I exercise a form of leadership within the agency, it's not claimed, and it's explained by my background and my way of linking the players.
This can be explained by the fact that I've been there before, and by the way I link people together.
I claim to be more of an 'inveterate connector'!"

In fact, I have the ability to meet lots of people and put them in touch with each other. It's also my way of developing the agency without doing any sales.

"In the world of communications agencies, we're clearly a UFO.

Being a SCOP, we have a very different relationship with money.

We can't sell the agency, because we don't own it. This moderates thehubris that can afflict some managers, and encourages us to innovate in terms of governance and management. We're light years away from the classic communications agency model, with a founder, employees and an army of interns.

The agency showed great resilience during the health crisis. It has to be said that we are used to "traveling light", thanks to telecommuting, which we have always practiced because of our individual lifestyle choices, low office costs and very reasonable salaries. As COOPANAME employees, we benefited from a period of short-time working, then business picked up again strongly in June 2020. So much so that 2020 was almost our best year ever. And this summer, we have already reached our targets for 2021.

 

What are your current projects and challenges?

Having acquired 20 years of expertise in social and environmental issues, we are very attentive to greenwashing communications and agencies surfing the responsible wave.

Recently, for example, Arnaud Leroy, CEO of Ademe, and Agathe Bousquet, President of Publicis in France, submitted a report to the government on best practices in advertising as part of the "Climate and Resilience" bill. But I'm wary of communication players whose job it is to pass off bladders as lanterns.
In this case, the advertising industry is looking for the status quo at worst , self-regulation at best. But that's not enough. That's why, along with others, we regularly sign forums calling for more stringent measures, for example on food products aimed at children, where France is lagging far behind.

That said, we are very supportive of the emerging movement of young communicators who have become aware of the ecological crisis and no longer want to do "daddy-style advertising" like in the 80s.

"For 15 years, the RUP agency has mainly supported associations and foundations, which act as spurs in society. From now on, we also wish to put communication at the service of companies and public players who want to build a fairer, more resilient society."

That's why, today, we want to support them in this transformation, while continuing to build bridges between public, private and associative players, which has always been our DNA.

 

What message would you like to send to young and future innovation leaders?

Faced with the problem of access to employment for young people, employers need to have more confidence in young graduates who, by definition, do not yet have any professional experience.

"In a changing world where environmental, social and societal issues are at the forefront,
associative experience, voluntary work or gap years abroad
bring something different to the table, and give them the ability to adapt and innovate.
I hope they will be valued more highly in the future.