Lasting Impact of the HEC Paris EMBA Capstone on Leadership

The Capstone is the final part of the HEC Paris Executive MBA journey. For many alumni, however, its real value only becomes clear after graduation. Alumni such as Guillaume Jacques, Olivier Guimard, and Sonia-Maïa Grislain still point to the capstone as a defining experience — one that transformed theory into action and helped shape the trajectory of their careers.
Their testimonials show how it is more than a final assignment. It is a test space where strategy, leadership, and entrepreneurship come together in practice.

Testing Ideas in a Real Company

For Guillaume Jacques, the EMBA came at a moment of transition. He had over 25 years of experience in strategy, marketing, and general management but wanted to broaden his perspective and prepare for his next career steps. He was drawn to HEC Paris for its academic excellence, global network, and business-focused approach.

The EMBA Capstone became a key part of that journey. For over ten months, Guillaume worked with his professors and the HEC team on a product development challenge for an industrial SME. With workshops, one-on-one sessions, and regular feedback from faculty, the experience pushed him to rethink how he approached other business challenges. 

For Guillaume, the capstone validated his ability to lead ambitious projects and became his launchpad into new ventures. Even years later, the tools, discipline, and collaborative mindset he learned during these final months at HEC still influence the entrepreneurial projects he works on today.

From Exploration to Entrepreneurship

For Sonia-Maïa Grislain, the Capstone led to her starting her own firm, Grislain Avocat. After years as a lawyer in traditional law firms, she started looking at different opportunities and wanted to develop entrepreneurial skills needed to build a modern legal practice.

The EMBA introduced her to management, strategy, and leadership beyond the legal world. Her Capstone project then pushed her out of her comfort zone as she worked directly with a fast-growing consulting firm to address its operational challenges.

With direct access to the firm and guidance from her advisor, she was able to apply in real-time the analytical frameworks and strategies developed during the EMBA program. The project not only benefited the company but also created a lasting professional relationship: the consulting firm later became a client.

Expanding His Horizons

Olivier Guimard joined the EMBA because he wanted to broaden his perspective and reconnect with entrepreneurial thinking. The final capstone working with a partner organization offered precisely that and took him beyond his previous areas of expertise in sales, marketing, and product management. 

With help from his professors and an alumni mentor, parts of the project were implemented, delivering measurable results for the organization within months. Years later, Olivier still sees it as a pivotal experience that sharpened his leadership and strategic mindset. He shares, “All the knowledge you learn at the EMBA, you apply to a concrete example that is relevant to you during the capstone.”

Eight years after graduating, these alumni still see the Capstone Project as one of the most important parts of their EMBA experience. Working on real business challenges forced them to test their ideas, collaborate with new teams, and make decisions in uncertain situations. They agree that the experience continues to influence how they approach new projects today.

Learn more about the Capstone and how it can benefit you or your organization. If you’re ready to take the next step in your EMBA journey, introduce yourself  to our recruitment team.

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