Pierre Manenti: from the lecture halls of History to the challenges facing the state: the journey of a committed graduate of the École Normale Supérieure

After serving in various ministerial offices, Pierre Manenti (Humanities and Social Sciences, History, 2012) is now an advisor to the Executive Director of the EDF Group, Director of Nuclear and Thermal Generation. A history enthusiast and author of several works on General de Gaulle, Gaullism, and the Fifth Republic, the École normale graduate embodies a trajectory in which academic excellence is placed at the service of the State and industrial strategy.

An intense academic journey

Pierre Manenti developed an early interest in literature and history within a family that instilled in him a taste for intellectual effort and the transmission of knowledge. Originally from the Vosges, his academic path began at Sciences Po Strasbourg, where he studied public law, economics, and history. Eager to deepen his focus on the latter discipline, he persuaded Paris Nanterre University (Paris 10) to allow him to simultaneously pursue a remote undergraduate degree in history. In his third year at Sciences Po, he went to Dublin, to Trinity College, where he discovered in particular how differently foreigners view French history compared to nationals. Upon returning in 2012, he successfully passed the entrance examination to ENS Paris-Saclay and directly entered the first year of a Master’s degree in history.

The formative experience of ENS

At ENS, Pierre Manenti was intellectually nourished by inspiring professors, including Gilles Pécout, Jean-François Chanet, and Olivier Wieviorka. He wrote a notable research dissertation on the role of energy issues in Franco-American relations between 1969 and 1974. Encouraged by Pierre-Paul Zalio, then director of the School, his thirst for knowledge was also satisfied by obtaining, in 2015, a Master’s degree in political science from Lyon 3 University, alongside his studies at ENS. Driven by a certain idea of the State and public service, Pierre Manenti decided to follow the training program preparing for senior civil service examinations offered at ENS Ulm. He also multiplied professional experiences thanks to his status as a trainee civil servant, “a valuable advantage provided by the School.”

Transforming the daily lives of the French

In 2012, Pierre Manenti joined the Charles de Gaulle Foundation to support his work on Gaullism. His meeting with Michel Anfrol and Gilles Le Béguec encouraged him to pursue this path. At the same time, he worked in the office of Jean-Paul Delevoye, then President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE). In 2014, selected to represent France at the Youth G20 and trained for several months by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the YouthDiplomacy association, he traveled to Australia. “Together with the Italian representative, I put forward the motion that was ultimately adopted on the commitment of G20 youth to combat climate change,” he recalls. “It was a genuine training exercise for careers in diplomacy.”

The autumn of 2016 marked the beginning of a career devoted to public and political life. After two years working alongside former Prime Minister Alain Juppé, Pierre Manenti joined the Senate as a parliamentary assistant to Didier Mandelli, Senator for Vendée—an “foundational experience” that allowed him to “move from the study of parliamentary law and political history to the daily reality of a parliamentary assistant.” After a brief period at the National Assembly, he returned to the Senate, this time as a group staffer for Senator Claude Malhuret, Senator for Allier. This was followed by a six-year period, from 2018 to 2024, within various ministerial offices—sometimes demanding, but always rewarding. “It is so energizing to have the opportunity to change the lives of the French!”

Pierre Manenti was appointed parliamentary advisor and then technical advisor in the office of Emmanuelle Wargon, then Minister Delegate for Ecological Transition, whom he followed to the Ministry of Housing as political advisor in charge of local elected officials and territories. Then, from 2022 to 2024, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Dominique Faure at the Ministry for Local Authorities and Rural Affairs. These roles were demanding but exhilarating. “Working in a ministerial office is a high-pressure job where no mistakes are allowed […],” he explains. “You have to be something of a ‘Swiss army knife,’ dealing with the substance of multiple policy files while at the same time handling a variety of other tasks, from communications to public relations…”

A man of letters at the heart of the reactor

In 2024, after years of intense commitment within ministerial offices, Pierre Manenti sought a better work–life balance. He decided to join the EDF Group as an advisor to Cédric Lewandowski, Executive Director of the Group and Director of Nuclear and Thermal Generation—a role that allowed him to reconnect with issues of territorial anchoring and energy sovereignty that he knows well.

“The man of letters” continues to learn from his colleagues. “I feel like I am joining a large family. They never hesitate to take out a sheet of paper to illustrate technical concepts and always show great pedagogical clarity.” By joining “France’s nuclear team” at a time of major renewal of the French nuclear fleet, he also brilliantly demonstrates that a background in the humanities can lead anywhere. “Contrary to a common misconception, the professional world warmly welcomes historians: they bring critical thinking, analytical skills, synthesis capabilities, and a distanced perspective that are just as valuable for public administration as for companies!” he asserts.

A pen in the service of history

Alongside the early stages of this intense career, the École normale graduate cultivated his writing, first lending his pen to politicians and academics before publishing under his own name. He is the author of several critically acclaimed works and biographies, and recently received a first prize. Pierre Manenti was also made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2024, on the recommendation of Jacques Trorial, the last surviving minister of General de Gaulle. “The medal is as meaningful as the recognition of knowing that it was he who recommended me.”

Ranked for two consecutive years (2024, 2025) in the prestigious Choiseul Institute ranking, as well as in Le Figaro’s recent 2026 list of the 200 under-35s “who will shape the France of tomorrow,” Pierre Manenti also proudly affirms his identity as a graduate of ENS. “Even 15 years after leaving ENS, I believe it is an honor that must be acknowledged and upheld; there is a generational chain of mutual support, sharing, and solidarity among normaliens.”

Motivated by a desire to give back what he has received, he addresses a message full of optimism to future students of the School, encouraging them to carry their ENS heritage proudly as they embrace their future.