Henriette Leparoux: From Athletics to Marketing Challenges - a Career Accelerated by HEC Paris

Our programs are filled with remarkable individuals whose journeys are a true source of inspiration. Henriette Leparoux is one of them. Now Marketing Director at DIM, a former heptathlete, mother of two daughters and newly a grandmother, Henriette has followed a rich and unconventional path — where athletic discipline and entrepreneurial spirit come together. Her secret? Endless adaptability and a thirst for learning.

Her time at HEC Paris Executive Education wasn’t just a new line on her résumé — it became a real career catalyst. She took on new professional challenges, rebuilt her self-confidence, and found something else entirely along the way: a new family, the HEC Executive Education community.

A second wind, after 25 years of experience

After nearly two decades in the world of sports, working for brands like Reebok, New Balance and Mizuno, and later in a pharmaceutical lab developing recovery supplements for athletes, Henriette reached a turning point.

She felt the need to, in her own words, “reactivate, reintegrate, refresh and renew” her knowledge. What she was looking for was a boost — to strengthen her profile with academic expertise that had been missing from her original training.

That’s what led her to HEC Paris: first through the Marketing & Digital Certificate, and then by completing two additional certificates to earn her Global Executive Master in Management (GEMM), majoring in Marketing and Business Development.

“There was a real need for a reset, and for a stronger academic foundation, to feel more confident about the rest of my career,” says Henriette, who had always dreamed of attending a top business school.

“I love the HEC tagline: Learn to Dare. That’s exactly what it gave me — the courage to go further than what I was allowing myself at the time.”

HEC Paris helped her build a new level of self-confidence, but also gave her the tools to change sectors entirely — moving into fashion and textiles at DIM. A bold step for someone with no background in the industry, but one she was fully ready to take, thanks to her learning journey at HEC.

Professors who truly make a difference

“I was blown away by all the professors!” Henriette says enthusiastically.

But two in particular made a lasting impression. First, Laurent Maruani, her thesis advisor. “He challenged me, encouraged me, opened up new perspectives and pushed me out of my comfort zone,” she says.

The result? A thesis graded among the best of her class — and a piece of work that became a true synthesis of her entire career: how the world of sports can serve as a testing ground for technologies and innovations that benefit public health.

This exercise helped her bring all her past experiences together — in sports brands and pharmaceutical R&D — into one coherent, purposeful vision. She also discovered a new strength: 

I learned that I could handle long-term research, turn ideas into market strategies…  

It was a game-changer, and no doubt a key factor in landing my role at DIM, where my mission is to lead marketing and communication transformation in a rapidly changing economic landscape.

Then there was Marc Beretta, whose leadership course offered another kind of revelation: “I finally understood how essential it is to know yourself in order to work better with others — especially in a managerial role.”

The power of community — a hidden gem

One of the biggest takeaways from her time at HEC was something she hadn’t anticipated: the power of the HEC Executive community.
Across the six GEMM cohorts — around 100 people — Henriette found a network of peers that became incredibly precious to her.

I built a community of classmates that I really treasure. There’s such strong solidarity. Anytime someone needs something or asks a question, there’s always someone who answers, who offers support — usually through our WhatsApp group.

This sense of mutual support has stayed with her, even after the program ended. Some connections have turned into deep friendships.

She vividly recalls a workshop on crisis communication where she had to take on the role of a pharma company’s marketing director facing a major health scandal. “All eyes were on me, journalists firing off questions. I somehow tapped into this lyrical flow and felt completely in my element — supported, confident… It was such a powerful moment.”
The room gave her a standing ovation.
 

Sport: A lifelong classroom

As a former heptathlete, Henriette is convinced that sport has been one of her greatest teachers. It took her years to fully realize it, but those lessons have stayed with her — on the track, in the boardroom, and in her personal life.

“Effort, perseverance, pushing your limits, teamwork, fair play… these values are deeply ingrained in me. I grew up with them. And I naturally brought them into how I’ve built my career, and how I’ve faced all kinds of challenges — especially as a woman, quite simply.”

It’s no surprise, then, that on International Women’s Day, Henriette wants to encourage women everywhere to reconnect with themselves through physical movement.

Her message is simple, and powerful: take care of yourself. Trust yourself. And let sport help you do that.

She firmly believes that regular exercise — at any level — is not about performance, but about well-being. Because too often, women tend to put themselves last, caught up in family or work demands.

“Sport is such a powerful way to build self-confidence and self-care. I honestly think it should be almost mandatory — but in the best possible sense. Not as something imposed, but something that empowers.”

Ready to press reset yourself? Come experience a transformative learning journey with the world’s #1 provider of executive education.

Whether your expertise lies in Marketing, Finance, Sustainability or Strategic Management, the Global Executive Master in Management (GEMM) will open new doors — to fresh career perspectives, a powerful network, and the confidence to stay ahead in your field.