Inspired by a desire to make a difference, EDHEC alumna Pauline Bommier pursued an MSc degree in climate Change and Sustainable Finance. Now working for the World Bank and based in the Ivory Coast, the lessons learned from her master’s degree have opened up an enriching career in international development.
When thinking about what a master’s degree can be, many fall into the trap of only considering “traditional” subjects with a long history. However, forward-thinking institutions like EDHEC frequently launch specialized courses for emerging issues. A prime example of this progressive approach is EDHEC’s MSc in Climate Change and Sustainable Finance.
A collaboration between EDHEC and MINES Paris – PSL, the MSc in Climate Change and Sustainable Finance is a double degree program that uses finance to support efforts against climate change. While EDHEC delivers business acumen, MINES Paris – PSL complements the course with engineering classes. Organizers adapt the program to reflect the latest technologies and burgeoning issues, providing students with a rich variety of innovative modules, including:
EDHEC integrates foundational finance courses that rank in the top 10 globally in the Financial Times Masters in Finance ranking. Combined with their highly regarded career services, this helps create a program that opens new career opportunities for graduates.
Among the recent graduates leveraging this degree is Pauline Bommier, who has embarked on a thrilling career path. “I currently work at the World Bank as a consultant in the transport unit and I’m based in Ivory Coast, in Abidjan,” she says. (00:14)
Covering a wide variety of development issues, Pauline leverages the skills developed throughout her master’s degree on a daily basis.
The proportion of Gen Z and millennials in the global workforce is around 38%, projected to reach 58% by 2030. These generations’ professional priorities are focused on social impact. According to the Pew Research Center, 75% of millennials see climate change as “at least one of several important concerns,” and 76% of Gen Z agree. However, a massive 37% of Gen Z and 33% of millennials say addressing global climate change is a top concern to them personally.
Pauline shared those priorities throughout her degree and into her career in international development. “I chose to work at the World Bank because it is a development bank. I think it’s very interesting to work with the government because they are the ones that can make a shift and drive changes.” (00:23)
However, development banking represents a small percentage of international development careers. Other options include human rights advocacy, education, disaster relief, and healthcare. Against such a diverse range of pathways, it is difficult to make an impact without hard skills or career guidance.
With over 10,000 career counseling sessions per year, EDHEC Career Services offers a holistic approach to career training. Students identify strengths and weaknesses, practice pitching and presentations, and run customized mock interviews. They get the opportunity to build their personal brand and fully prepare for their life post-EDHEC.
Pauline’s day-to-day work is diverse and involves reacting to a plethora of challenges. For example, on the operational side, she has worked on projects to deliver financing to the West Africa region. To do this, Pauline draws on her degree, incorporating socio-economic and climate change analysis to address local priorities.
Perhaps the most surprising example is how relevant Pauline’s master’s thesis studying floods in Europe is to her work. Today, she finds herself “developing a tool for governments to analyze how floods impact their infrastructure.” (01:20) Pauline then uses her finance skills to prioritize investments and optimize budget allocation.
From the engineering perspective provided by MINES Paris — PSL, Pauline has also been able to work in optimizing transport solutions. The combination of business and science means she can assess energy use and energy efficiency, while also mitigating financial risk and ensuring economic sustainability.
This first-hand experience is a testament to how well EDHEC has designed the course. By overlapping the starkly different skill sets needed to understand climate change and sustainable finance, EDHEC graduates like Pauline can handle a vast array of responsibilities in their professional lives.
Backed by the key skills learned through the MSc and her diverse professional experience with the World Bank, Pauline is in an excellent position to enjoy a long-term career in international development.
Already inspired by her work to date, she wants to continue working with developing countries. “In the future, I see myself mainly in the international environment. I really like working with different people from different backgrounds.” But to continue making a difference, Pauline knows that the insights from her MSc are invaluable. “The combination of finance and engineering competencies are key to better understanding what are the main climate change issues. How we can finance it, and how we can shift to a better world.” (02:46)
If you want to find out more about the EDHEC experience, head over to the MASTERGRADSCHOOLS Ambassador’s page where you can reach out to EDHEC students and alumni like Pauline directly.
