Innovation & Entrepreneurship
In May 2025, just days before taking the stage at HEC Paris’ graduation ceremony, Fidji Simo was appointed CEO of Applications at OpenAI, making her one of the most influential women leaders in global tech.
She joined Facebook in 2011, after earning her Master in Management from HEC Paris’ Grande École program, and rose through the ranks to become Mark Zuckerberg’s right-hand woman. In 2021, she became CEO of Instacart, the American leader in grocery delivery.
On June 13, 2025, Fidji Simo came to share with graduates the lessons of an ascent shaped by determination, ambition, and the ability to overcome obstacles.
But her message went beyond her personal journey. At a time of unprecedented technological acceleration, driven in particular by the rise of artificial intelligence, Fidji Simo urged an entire generation of graduates to embrace their creative potential. She invited them not only to adapt to change, but to actively help shape the world to come.
- Attention drives outcomes: focus on vision, not limits
- Careers are non-linear; adaptability is essential
- Difference is a competitive advantage, not a weakness
- AI amplifies human creativity, it does not replace it
- Support systems unlock ambition and resilience
- The future depends on what individuals choose to create
Geopolitics & Public Affairs
