HEC Paris Graduation 2026 | Find Your Signature Dish – Valérie Baudson's Commencement Address

At the HEC Paris Graduation Ceremony 2026, Valérie Baudson, CEO of Amundi, Europe's largest asset manager, shares her reflections on leadership, curiosity, and building a meaningful career in an increasingly complex world. Addressing the Class of 2026, she challenges graduates to move beyond the frameworks, models, and "recipes" they learned in school and instead discover their own "signature dish", their unique way of creating value and making an impact. Drawing on her own journey, from an unexpected rejection early in her career to leading an organization managing more than €2.4 trillion in assets, she reflects on the importance of curiosity, lifelong learning, diversity of perspectives, and the ability to navigate uncertainty. In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, Valérie Baudson argues that what will matter most is not execution alone, but judgment, critical thinking, and the ability to ask the right questions. She also shares her vision of leadership: building diverse teams, helping others reach their potential, creating trust, and finding meaning in complexity. Her final ingredient for success? Optimism. A deliberate choice to see opportunities where others see obstacles and to embrace uncertainty as a catalyst for growth and reinvention. #HECParis #Graduation2026 #ValerieBaudson #HECgrad26