In this episode, Frank Bournois receives an ESCP Business School alumnus, Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Vivendi’s CEO. At the head of the world’s leading entertainment company, present on all continents, Arnaud de Puyfontaine recounts his career path, deciphers the specificities of his industry and shares his guidelines for making choices, including difficult ones.
So what are the leadership secrets to leading a group that is a pioneer in its field?
The common thing between my first job and what I do today is that I wake up every morning and I love what I do.
The only competitive advantage of any company is people, people, people.
The importance of the collective dimension in the success of a company is central to Arnaud de Puyfontaine’s approach to leadership:
“Vivendi is a global media, entertainment and content group, which is covering music, film, TV, gaming, publishing, advertising and communication. They all have a common element which is creative talents. My job is to create the very best environment to enable each of our singers, from Justin Bieber to Lady Gaga, to be able to produce songs in a business environment.”
“So, the people inside the company are crucial. They are the unique selling proposition on what we stand for. We are in an industry where we have to combine the world of ‘saltimbanque’ [entertainers] with the world of business-minded people.”
In a highly competitive environment filled with daily challenges, there is only one thing that can help you get up every morning with the same energy – passion. Arnaud de Puyfontaine describes his way of cultivating passion and the lessons to be learned from it:
“The common thing between my first job and what I do today is that I wake up every morning and I love what I do. So whatever happens, it gives me the energy I need to be at the level of the expectations of people with whom I work on a daily basis. Passion may seem to be a very common point. It is not. You have to be passionate about what you do.”
“There are many definitions around passion, obviously, but every morning when I wake up, and even if it is going to be difficult, I have this kind of energy that is like a pulsion that is triggered by the fact that I love what I do.”
If you want to learn more about how to succeed internationally, Europe’s economic role in the world, and the entertainment industry’s impact on the environment, check out The Choice Makers episode with Arnaud de Puyfontaine on your favorite podcast listening platforms.
