As a citizen of the world, I have always been closely interested in international communications and had a passion for languages, the tools that enable us to meet and exchange. This is the reason why, after 25 years spent in employment in France and elsewhere, and with a strong command of project management, I have set up this company to optimise the quality of cross-cultural communication.

Management assistant

Cabinet Martinez, multilingual technical communications, Nantes — 2008-2010

• Administrative and HR duties, legal matters, financial planning
• Business management and customer relations
• Public relations and business development
• Coordination of the staff and tracking of service delivery
• Project management and coordination of conference interpreting services
• (occasionally): analysis of documentary projects and recommendations, translations, proof-reading, re-writing, interpreting (consecutive and simultaneous)

Librarian – teacher

French Lycée and Neferati International School, Cairo — 2004-2007

• Computerisation, management of the documentation centre
• Elementary teaching: French, English, problem solving in mathematics, history, music (choir workshop), gymnastics (cycle 2 and cycle 3)
• Secondary teaching: French language, modern literature, English, German, Spanish
• Adult education: Egyptian Arabic

Office Manager & HR Officer

National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Cairo — 2003-2004

• Coordination between departments, assistance to the Regional Director, HR management (13 branches, 350 employees)

Administration Manager

Michelin, Cairo – 1995-2003

• Administrative management, budget planning, legal matters
• HR management (20 employees) and in-house communications
• Management of special events
• Commercial management, interface with head office and relations with importers
• Project management and assistance for the North Africa, Middle East and African Horn Regional Manager (22 countries)
• (special project): participation in the production of the first edition of the Michelin Green Guide to Egypt (Michelin Editions du voyage)

Diplomatic service agent

Consulate and Economic Mission of the French Embassy, Cairo — 1993

• Visas department: interviews (psycho-social examination) of requestors, reports and assessments, dossier management
• Assistant to the economic and commercial counsellor: senior management secretarial duties, interface with Egyptian ministries, relations with the External Economic Relations Office of the French Ministry of the Economy, diplomatic telegrams

Sales representative

Transnil Médiacom, Cairo — 1992-1993

• Interface with French tour operators and local host
• Field logistics and coordination of services
• Liaison and supervision of Upper Egypt correspondents
• On-site visits and preparation of tailor-made travel projects
• Customer service, organisation, promotion and sale of special excursions

Tour leader

Freelance, France, Switzerland, Austria and Egypt — 1988-1992

• Travel management (conventions, business, incentives, leisure), customer relations and coordination of services

Liaison interpreter

Freelance — 1984-1992

• Technical and business consecutive liaison interpreting in French, English, German, Spanish and Arabic (reception of foreign delegations, site visits, negotiations, meetings between suppliers/customers, head office/branches or exhibitors/visitors at trade shows)

Head hostess – Assistant to the general curator of trade shows and exhibitions

Freelance, SEPIC and Paris Exhibitions Committee — 1984-1991

• Logistics for events, interface between organisers / exhibitors / service providers (installation, venue, dismantling)
• Team supervision (3 to 60 event hostesses)

Station officer

Aéroports de Paris, Orly – 1983, Gulf Air, CDG — 1984

• Passenger care (arrivals/departures), travel documents control
• Coordination of services (check-in and boarding, freight)
• Processing of flight dossiers, baggage inquiry

Education

Higher education

• Public relations, communication / applied foreign languages
  (English, German, Spanish, Russian)
  Ecole des cadres (EDC), Paris — 1980-82
• Oriental languages and civilisations
  India, Persia and the Arab World
  (Hindi, Persian, Oriental Arabic)
  Inalco (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilisations) – Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris — 1982-83

Professional training

• International trade, logistics, Incoterms and transport
  Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand — 1996
• HR: recruitment, career management, compensation, performance, international mobility, training
  Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand — 2001
• Teacher training: logic and problem-solving
  French Education Authority, Tunis Academy — 2005

Further professional training

• Technical writing, illustration & communication
  CFP La Salle, Nantes — 2008

Others

• Palaeography
  Archives départementales de Loire Atlantique — 2015/2016
• Egyptian Hieroglyphs
  MOOC University of Liège (BE) — 2023-24

Other work experience

Freelance journalist, author, photographer, translator, proof-reader

• Différences Magazine (1983)
• Technological invention patents (1990)
• Coptic Church of Alexandria (1990-92)
• Michelin Editions du Voyage (2001)
• Michelin Middle East Training Centre (2002)
• Nantes Museum of Fine Arts (Cabinet Martinez, 2008)

“What constitutes the dignity of a craft is that it creates a fellowship, that it binds men together and fashions for them a common language. For there is but one veritable problem – the problem of human relations.” [Wind, Sand and Stars]

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry