Who I am
A few words about me :
- Grew up between Reunion Island and Mauritius, in a multicultural environment.
- Graduated in France as an Engineer in Urban Planning, then with a Master in commerce & management for East Asia and a Postmaster in Smart cities.
- Studied and had internships in India, Vietnam, and Japan.
- Worked several years as Director of International Relations in a French engineering school.
- Created Vanillea International in 2022.
Today, my time is divided being an entrepreneur by running Vanillea International, and being a teacher of Regenerative Business and other courses at Karel de Grote (KdG) Hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium.
Just like the vanilla flower, my work is about cultivating connections and helping projects grow — whether supporting students in discovering Asia or guiding universities in developing their international strategies.
Qualifications
Engineering Degree in Urban Planning, Polytech Tours (2013)
Master’s in Commerce and Management for East Asia, University of Lille (2017)
Specialized Postmaster in Smart Cities, Polytech Lille (2017)
Certified ICEF Trained Agent Counsellor (2022)
Training modules Orientation and Motivation Coaching for young people (2022–2023)
My values
Transparency
With my partners, with the students, with my contacts in general. Transparency, to understand how we each function and to work together in harmony.
Cooperation
Even though there are things I do *for* you, I will do *with* you first and foremost. We will work together, especially at the beginning, to ensure that your needs are taken into account and respected.
Trust
When a task is entrusted to me, I want you to have peace of mind – I will take care of it. If necessary I will ask you questions, if difficulties I will inform you. See transparency!
A few words about Vanillea
Did you know…
…there is a French island in the Indian Ocean, between Madagascar and Mauritius? It’s called “La Réunion”, Reunion Island. I grew up there, in Reunion, in the heart of an environment celebrating multiple cultures mostly from Asia, Europe and Africa.
It was Edmond Albius, a slave from Reunion, who discovered in 1841 a practical technique for pollinating vanilla, which is still used today wherever in the world it is grown.
In English, “vanilla” can mean “plain”. But vanilla is very far from being “plain”! It is a beautiful representation of diversity: it is a flower, a spice, a perfume, a pod, a color…
Vanille/Vanilla is also a word that is pronounced almost the same way in most countries around the world, so it is easy to understand and remember.
Vanillea International is my way of putting Reunion Island in the spotlight, as well as the multiplicity of cultures.