He’s completing the circle and giving back along the way

Some journeys are defined not only by where they begin and where they end, but by the meaning they create along the way. When Zachary Carreau stood on stage to address the HEC Paris Class of 2026 at the graduation ceremony, he didn’t speak about prestige or career success. He spoke about football, resilience, gratitude, and the power of extending a helping hand to someone else.

His story is one of ambition, determination and social impact. Along the way, he has learned that every opportunity carries with it the responsibility to give back. From Saint-Étienne to HEC Paris and now to London, where he is about to start his career in investment banking, one conviction has remained constant - success only truly matters when it creates opportunities for others. 
 

Zachary grew up in Saint-Étienne, where his childhood dream was to become a professional footballer. Football was his passion and he played at a strong regional level. His mother, however, encouraged him to focus on his studies. Looking back, Zachary admits that she was probably more realistic about his football abilities than he was.

At high school, he discovered the existence of preparatory classes only three days before the Parcoursup (national admissions platform for the first year of higher education) application deadline. He decided to take the leap. In many ways this was a step into the unknown - nobody in his family had ever taken preparatory classes – but it proved to be a turning point.

Zachary was accepted into prestigious preparatory programs in Lyon and Paris, but financial constraints forced him to stay in Saint-Étienne and enroll in the city’s only preparatory class. At around the same time, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Morale was at rock bottom and at that point, the dream of HEC Paris felt distant, almost unreachable.

But Zachary worked hard. A few months before the national competitive entrance exams, something happened that would have a major impact on his outlook on life. He received an HEC Foundation scholarship. What touched him most was not only the financial support itself, but the trust behind it. He hadn’t taken the exam yet, but HEC Paris had clearly shown their faith in him. That gesture made a lasting impression. Zachary made himself the promise that one day he would be the one to help people in need.

As the first member of his family to attend a business school, Zachary had initially believed that HEC Paris was perhaps reserved for a certain elite. But the reality was different. He discovered a remarkably diverse community with people from very different backgrounds, cultures, and countries.

He quickly realized that at HEC Paris you can achieve whatever you want to and that the people around you will do everything they can to support you. This gave him greater self-confidence and has led to a shift in mindset. Zachary is no longer afraid to dare and firmly believes that with hard work and commitment, almost anything is possible.

Zachary immersed himself fully in campus life and embraced every opportunity to learn both inside and outside of the classroom. One of his proudest achievements came on the football field - under his captaincy, the HEC Paris football team became vice champions of France. For Zachary, it was a symbolic victory that reconnected him with his childhood dream in a new way.

At the same time, he also took on major leadership roles, such as serving as President of Carrefours HEC, the school’s flagship career fair. But perhaps most importantly, HEC Paris instilled in him a deeper understanding of the importance of responsibility. “You acquire the arms to do well, and you acquire the arms to do good,” he affirms. For Zachary, being at HEC Paris was about more than succeeding, it was about having a positive impact.

While Zachary was building his future, he was also increasingly focused on helping others build theirs. As President of Carrefours HEC, he had helped his fellow students connect with recruiters and alumni to find internships and professional opportunities. Although proud of what he had achieved, Zachary still felt that something was missing.

Large scale networking events, while important, often felt too crowded and impersonal. They simply don’t lend themselves to asking more than one or two questions and going into depth. With close friends Salim and Qais, he wanted to create something different - something more authentic. The result was HEC Inspire.

The concept was simple - intimate dinners bringing together small groups of students and leading CEOs, entrepreneurs and executives for open, honest conversations. What began as a small-scale experiment quickly became a success. During its first season, HEC Inspire organized more than 35 dinners across France. During the second season the initiative expanded internationally, reaching the United Kingdom, Singapore and China. Students gain far more than just professional contacts. They get the opportunity to ask meaningful questions and build genuine relationships. The impact has been tangible with some students securing internships and full-time positions.

But the association’s greatest achievement has perhaps come through its social mission. Zachary has never forgotten the promise he made to himself to give back and help others. In May, HEC Inspire organized a major fundraising gala, raising over €40,000 to fund scholarships for students. With Carrefours HEC also making a substantial donation, ten students will benefit from these funds (five will be sponsored by HEC Inspire and five will be sponsored by Carrefours HEC). The HEC Inspire team will also serve as mentors for the five students they are sponsoring.

For Zachary, it represents something deeply personal. Years earlier, someone had believed in him before he had even passed the HEC Paris entrance exam. Now, he had the chance to do the same for others. As president of the association, he signed the donation agreement himself - becoming both sponsor and mentor while still benefiting from scholarship support. He had now completed the circle.

As Zachary prepares to begin his career in London as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, he sees this next chapter as both an opportunity and a challenge. Moving from Saint-Étienne to Paris was already a major change and moving to London will be an even bigger transition. But it is one that he embraces with enthusiasm. His goal is to thrive in his new career and do everything in his power to make it a success.

At the graduation ceremony, Zachary shared a message that resonated deeply with his fellow students:

What ultimately makes Zachary’s journey truly inspiring is not only what he has achieved, but his determination to give back and his conviction that success is not just about moving forward but helping others to move forward too.