Governance and Family Business: the Center Designs a Module within HEC Paris's Strategy for Impact Certificate
From 13 to 18 May 2026, the HEC Paris Family Business Center led a family-business board simulation focused on impact within the Strategy for Impact Certificate.
This module, embedded within the Strategy for Impact Certificate led by Professors Rodolphe Durand and Luc Paugam, with Romain Briat, Executive Director of the Purpose Center, gave students — from the Grande École and the MBA — the opportunity to explore what makes a family business singular: an ecosystem in which relationships, emotions, and history significantly shape decision-making, economic rationality, and succession dynamics.
A Day and a Half of Simulation Around the Dorsay Logistics Case
On Wednesday 13 May, after opening remarks from Cécile de Lisle, Executive Director of the Center, on impact issues within family businesses, students stepped into an immersive simulation around the Dorsay Logistics case — a family-succession case study built around two strategic projects: a cross-border acquisition exposed to the oil and gas sector, and a share-swap proposal that would partially dilute the family in order to revive revenues and broaden the customer base.
The case was written by Adjunct Professors Philippe Pelé-Clamour and Gérard de Maupeou, who introduced and accompanied each simulation.
Monique Huet (H.80) and Jean-François Phan Van Phi (H.84), Chair and Vice-Chair of the HEC Alumni Governance Club, played the roles of Chairwoman of the Board and CEO of the family-owned company. Students took on the roles of family shareholders, investors, employee representatives, independent directors, executives, board secretary, and observers.
The simulations brought to light the influence of family dynamics beyond the boardroom, and the necessity of defining a purpose against which to assess strategic projects. During the debrief, Monique and Jean-François shared the lessons of more than 25 years of board experience: strategy as the board's first responsibility, the importance of asking questions rather than making statements, the trust built through preparation on both sides of the table, and the role of "constructive challenge" the board owes to management.
The Testimony of Muriel Acat-Vergnet, President and CEO of Prova
On Monday 18 May, the case reached its conclusion with a final Board of Directors meeting, followed by the testimony of Muriel Acat-Vergnet, President and CEO of Prova — a third-generation French family business founded in 1946, world leader in the extraction of vanilla, cocoa, and coffee flavours, present in 70 countries through 10 subsidiaries and more than 400 employees. Muriel shared with great openness Prova's current and future governance — including its evolution towards a Strategic Council — alongside her commitments to women in leadership and to sustainable, ethical sourcing, a core value for one of the world's largest vanilla buyers. She was accompanied by her husband Gilles Boissis (H.85), whose insights from the room enriched the conversation.
Learn more about the HEC Paris Family Business Center