Maud Deschamps

What is a fun fact or something unexpected about you? 

I am a passionate businesswoman who resources herself in art. I am a painter, I love music, I dance tango! It is my way to find balance in life. 

Tell us about yourself, and how you got to where you are today both on a professional and personal level.

I always looked for jobs that were passionate for me. My motto is to wake up every day full of energy to accomplish my job. It is important for me to learn something new every day, to work with motivated and engaged collaborators and to have fun while working hard. 

I have made some bold moves in my professional life, changing from sectors and positions. I am also a proud mother of two young adults of 19 and 21 years old. They give me a lot of energy!

What led you to decide to pursue an EMBA, and why did you choose INSEAD in particular?

I decided that I wanted to reopen all the doors for the next 25 coming years of my career. 

I am always eager to learn and to develop myself. My two kids are now at university and I have more time to dedicate to myself. It was a good opportunity for me to revisit corporate topics, discover new industries I never had the chance to work for and meet people from all around the world. 

I chose INSEAD for several aspects. Its mission statement “The Business School for the World” deeply resonates with me. Its leadership transformation programme is unique and well rooted in day-to-day EMBA experience, and finally, the way INSEAD fosters excellence while letting competition aside. It is a unique place to grow, to make experiences and to network.

Could you describe your experience so far? The classes, the curriculum, your fellow participants, the professors?

The experience is amazing! It is clearly intense and it pushes participants out of their comfort zone. It is a nice way to identify my leadership strengths and pitfalls. 

The cohort is very rich, diverse, inspiring, and fun. The level of engagement and the expertise is high. 

The teachers are of great quality and engagement. I compare them to highly trained sportspersons as they must handle 50+ executives in the same room for long hours, it is sometimes rock and roll! 

The GEMBA curriculum is well constructed enabling us to reinforce the academic foundations while digging into the transformational leadership journey.

What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in pursuing an INSEAD programme? 

Go for it! Do not overthink too much. If you feel the need to reinvent yourself or to become more impactful in the world, just do it! I will never forget this experience in my life, whatever the professional outcome will be.