Rabat, July 4, 2025 – ESSEC Business School confirms the success of the Chair “Business and Industry in Africa” launched on January 8 with the support of its partners Africa Global Logistics, ARISEIIP and the IBL group, by welcoming Vivo Energy, one of the pan-African leaders in energy. This partnership fully aligns with the objectives of this Chair addressing the challenges and opportunities related to industrialization and raw material transformation, and strengthening Africa’s position in the global value chain.
The first cohort of students in this Chair, coming from diverse backgrounds, attended specialized courses and seminars on the Rabat campus from January to early April 2025, and traveled to Ivory Coast for a week in March 2025 for a high-level immersive experience. Several students are now starting their internships in various countries across the continent.
This Chair was inaugurated in Rabat on January 13 by ESSEC’s Dean of professors Roméo Tédongap, Professor Andrea Roncoroni, also President of the association on energy and raw materials (CEMA), and Benoît Chervalier, its executive director, President of BCH INVEST Group and President of the Africa committee of Business Europe. “The Chair is a success because it meets the needs of companies, the expectations of students, and the current economic and geopolitical challenges,” explains Benoît Chervalier.
Vincenzo Vinzi, CEO of ESSEC, adds: “I am pleased with the successful launch of this pioneering Chair, true to the spirit of ESSEC, and I am delighted with the arrival of Vivo Energy, which testifies to the strong attractiveness of the Chair and the ambitions it carries.”
Stan Mittelman, CEO of Vivo Energy, states: “With its young population and abundant resources, Africa is emerging year after year as a major driver of global growth. Vivo Energy has been accompanying the economic and industrial transformation of the continent for over 14 years. Our commitment to this Chair reflects our desire to promote sustainable growth, alongside local and international partners who share our approach to unleash Africa’s potential.”
The program of the Chair for 2025/2026, which will be presented next September, promises to be very rich and ambitious. With the support of ESSEC’s alumni network, it will offer students and companies unique opportunities to expand their network, strengthen their skills, and enrich their academic and professional paths.
