François Bitouzet: the career of a daring Normalian in the service of creativity

From Havas and Publicis to Vivatech, with a stop at SNCF, here is the career journey of François Bitouzet (Class of 1998, Economic and Social Sciences): he has adeptly leveraged the strong foundations built at ENS Paris-Saclay to become a creative, passionate innovation leader.

As a child, François dreamed of becoming an ambassador. In Moulins, his teachers at Théodore-de-Banville High School encouraged him to head to the Paris region to enroll in B/L preparatory classes at Lakanal High School. There, everyone spoke of “Normale Sup,” a term young François had never encountered before. “No one in my family had completed high school or pursued higher education.” After intense preparatory years, he reveled in the success of gaining admission to ENS Paris-Saclay, surrounded by “exceptional professors and extraordinarily brilliant, fascinating, and passionate people.”

ENS Paris-Saclay: A School of Thought and Life

"ENS Paris-Saclay is a school of thought that structured me intellectually," asserts François Bitouzet. "Far from academic rigidity, ENS Paris-Saclay teaches us to challenge conventional ideas and open ourselves to a diverse world." On the Nanterre and Cachan campuses, François pursued a DEA in Analysis and Economic Policy (ENS-EHESS-ENSAE) amidst the intellectual energy characteristic of the social sciences, which were "vibrant and revolutionary" in Pierre Bourdieu's era. “Understanding the world required bridging the social sciences to generate new insights. We brought math and economics into sociology and introduced chaos theory into economics, recognizing that agents were not always rational,” he recalls.

ENS Paris-Saclay also provided the setting where François forged lasting friendships with people from diverse backgrounds “but with a shared love of knowledge and a certain creativity,” he remembers. As the heirs of meritocracy, the ENS schools are also, for him, “schools of life” open to everyone. For a child of modest parents from Allier, this is a message he now passes on to young students who might hesitate to dream big. “If you work hard, if you show promise, intelligence, and creativity, ENS Paris-Saclay will support you in reaching as far as you can.”

A First Foray into Communication

François Bitouzet’s career began in 2001 in the communications sector at Havas (formerly Euro RSCG). Starting as an intern, he climbed the ranks over a ten-year career, drawing on his multidisciplinary expertise, a priceless gift from ENS. To communicate well, he believes, one must embrace the full 360° view of a company’s environment. “I always maintain an anthropologist’s perspective on my work, observing what’s unfolding from a sociological angle.” This “side-step” method allowed François Bitouzet to navigate complex situations effectively.

The Spirit of Innovation

In 2010, François Bitouzet seized the opportunity to work on a large-scale international event for the Queen of Qatar, the World Innovation Summit for Education, an experience that opened international doors. Three years later, he joined SNCF as the Communications Director for Voyages-sncf.com—a pivotal moment in his career, where he realized the weight the ENS alum label could carry, “even 15 years after graduation!” he smiles.

After serving four years as General Manager of Publicis Group’s event agency, in 2022 he took on the role of General Manager of Viva Technology, the annual event dedicated to new technologies, created in 2016 by Publicis and Les Échos-Le Parisien groups. "I strive to infuse VivaTech with the same spirit of openness I experienced at ENS Paris-Saclay, making it a genuine crossroads of innovation—a unique meeting place for industrial groups, startups, and public institutions, much like ENS Paris-Saclay, where engineering specialists and economists interact."

François Bitouzet’s career stands as a testament to a path driven by intellectual curiosity, a quality he sees reflected in many ENS alumni. He encourages the next generation to have confidence in their creativity and adaptability, “essential qualities in today’s world,” he concludes.