Delphine Asseraf - Brand and Communication Director at Allianz France

ESIGELEC graduates / 2* Delphine Asseraf (Brand and Communication Director at Allianz France). The new "Success Story" section regularly brings you new profiles of ESIGELEC graduates with amazing careers who have never forgotten their time here as students...

"Knowledge for everyone"

Delphine Asseraf is proof that a professional calling can appear very early in life. She was always passionate about science, maths and physics and she was introduced to computers when she was 11 or 12 by her IT engineer older sister, something that wasn't the norm in the 1980s. "I always wanted to do a job I loved. And I really wanted to be an engineer," she recalls. She was drawn to ESIGELEC after getting her Bac C. The true Parisian was drawn to the school's teaching style and the novelty of a course outside the capital. She took the DPGL course (Software Engineering Project Development) which provided her with the foundations and skills that she would call upon throughout her career.

Technology and digital have always been part of her life. Her various roles have seen her manage very large-scale projects in these fields. She handled their technical features, of course, without sacrificing marketing, communication or business to make her projects all-round, diverse and responsive.

Heavily business and marketing-oriented solutions

That's what happened from the start of her career in 1998 at Cetelem when she was responsible for all the company's Unix decision-making systems, then intranet and internet aspects including the establishment of online lending which then rolled out throughout Europe. She was involved in launching B2B and B2C internet strategies in 18 countries worldwide and launched partnerships with online payment companies fuelled by a "love for building heavily business and marketing-oriented solutions". After joining the BNP Paribas group in 2009, Delphine Asseraf designed and developed innovative apps such as HelloBank and Paylib. She was ready for a new adventure and seven years ago she joined the Allianz group, first as a digital manager then digital director, brand and communication director and now she is the head of a mobility department: "I was in charge of a business range devoted to mobility, both for the general public and fleet cars. I worked hard on gaining methods encouraging independence, decision-making, team spirit," she says. This year she moved to the group's headquarters in Munich as digital marketing and distribution manager.

A wonderful personal adventure

Three years spent at ESIGELEC paved the way for a brilliant career path. Delphine Asseraf remembers "passionate teachers who were very devoted and very informative." "They made knowledge available to everyone, they helped us develop real projects, we could conduct lab tests. It was very rewarding. With lessons and pratical work, the training covered all bases," she says. She also got involved in campus life and founded the IT club with other students and helped organise the school's ball: "it was a wonderful personal adventure." I'm still very good friends with several people."

She has fond memories of combining the best of both worlds, technology and people: "the engineering course made me independent and gave me a thirst for knowledge. Students in my year came from all kinds of backgrounds, areas, countries, it's a real asset. It gives the school a highly stimulating sense of diversity and intellectual curiosity." 

High standards and professionalism

Deep down you always hold onto such exciting times and, over the years, Delphine Asseraf has kept an eye on the school and celebrated its successes: "I was very pleased that the school got involved in the self-driving car. It drew attention to its expertise and its teachers' knowledge. It showed that it was open to business and major themes for the future. It's good for its reputation, its students and its graduates."

Another thing that is engraved on Delphine Asseraf's mind is that there were less than 10 women in a year group of 190 students. "I never felt it was a problem," she says. But the minority gave her a good insight into the challenges of women working in technical fields. "I realised that you can succeed but to do so you have to help as much as possible and be very pro-active about it." So she applauds the school's support among female secondary school and college students to show them "that it exists and is possible." She herself works at Allianz to encourage monitoring among women.

Delphine Asseraf was given managerial roles very quickly so she has obviously experienced people's reactions and opinions of her. "My answer was simple: high standards, professionalism, commitment and lots of modesty. Always try to be very focused and very technical. It helps calm things down and gain respect.