Jean-Pierre Godeme

“Things don’t happen to you. They happen for you. – Simon Zutshi”

Class / Grad Year: MBA Class of 2022

Current Employer / Role: Madu / Group Chairman & CEO

Is this the industry and role you envisioned yourself in upon entering the program?

My original plan was to work in consulting for three to four years, then start a business. I saw consulting as a great springboard into entrepreneurship, which had always been my end goal. Little did I know I’d find myself in the entrepreneurial seat right after graduation.

I had the opportunity to briefly work in our family’s manufacturing business in Benin: a company that produces PVC pipes sold on the local market. During my time in the finance department, one thing struck me: how incredibly long it takes to send payments abroad to suppliers. Having lived abroad most of my life, I was accustomed to fast, easy cross-border transfers. What took me minutes in Europe now took more than a month in West Africa.

This pain point was impossible to ignore. Together with a friend who has strong tech experience, we decided to tackle this problem head-on. That’s how I found myself becoming an entrepreneur much faster than I had ever predicted and discovering an opportunity to solve a meaningful problem that extends far beyond West Africa. Today, we’ve expanded our products to help connect the world through FX and payments, providing FX liquidity to banks and institutional clients globally.

Why was HEC Paris and their MBA program the right fit for you among all of the options out there?

I was looking for a top-tier MBA with genuine international exposure, not just diversity on paper. While US programs attract international students, many are already US-based with international backgrounds. I wanted classmates who were truly living and studying outside their home countries, bringing fresh perspectives from their recent experiences abroad.

That led me to focus on European programs, where there are essentially four top choices: two in France, one in the UK, and one in Spain. Having family in France made the French programs more attractive personally. Between the two, HEC was the clear choice as it offered the program length I was seeking, and frankly, the warmth and responsiveness of the alumni I reached out to during my research really sealed the deal. Those conversations gave me confidence that HEC fostered the kind of supportive community I wanted to be part of.

How has the program helped you grow personally or professionally since graduating?

Professionally, the HEC network has been transformative. The alumni community where I live is remarkably active and has opened doors I never expected; from new clients to practical support when settling in the country. What strikes me most is the genuine willingness to help; old classmates and even alumni I never studied with respond enthusiastically to requests for advice or introductions. Beyond networking, the program fundamentally changed how I approach business challenges. The case method used in certain classes and international perspective taught me to analyze problems from multiple angles and consider cultural nuances in decision-making; skills I use daily when navigating complex stakeholder relationships and global market dynamics faced in my current role.

Personally, going through the program taught me the value of being flexible with my plans when opportunities arise. I had always mapped out a traditional route: consulting first, then entrepreneurship but the program gave me the confidence to skip the intermediate step and dive straight into entrepreneurship.

What’s a standout moment or memory from your time at HEC Paris that really stuck with you? 

The moment that stands out most was during our two-day military training when we rotated leadership roles through a series of high-stakes scenarios. When it was my turn to lead, we were facing the boat-building challenge: constructing a makeshift vessel from basic materials to cross a lake. The boat could only safely carry two or three people at a time, so we needed multiple crossings with careful coordination to get the entire team across. What struck me was how different it felt to lead under this kind of pressure compared to classroom group work. With limited time, basic materials, and real consequences if our boat failed, I had to quickly assess team strengths, delegate the construction work, and create a transport plan in collaboration with my team that kept everyone moving safely. But equally valuable was watching my classmates lead the other scenarios throughout those two days: the casualty transport exercise, descending a wall on a Tom Cruise-style or navigation challenges for example.

Seeing different leadership styles emerge under pressure taught me that effective leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. The way my Lebanese classmate approached strategic planning differed completely from how my Italian teammate motivated the group during physical challenges. This experience fundamentally shaped how I approach leadership in my current role. As a team, when we face complex operational challenges with competing demands and limited resources, I draw directly on those lessons about clear prioritization, rapid decision-making, and keeping the entire team aligned toward our shared objective.

How did you balance your work/school/home life during your degree? What were the biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge was learning to multitask effectively across multiple demanding priorities. While the first term was academically intense as we adjusted to the rigor and pace, the second term presented the real challenge. That’s when recruiting season hit full force in January and February, depending on your target industry. Suddenly I was juggling core coursework, group projects, networking events, interview preparation, and actual interviews, all while trying to maintain relationships with classmates and some semblance of personal time. The days felt like a constant rotation between classes, company presentations, and late-night case prep. I learned to block specific hours for recruiting activities versus academic work, treating interviews and networking like scheduled classes. We also formed tight study groups that could quickly divide case prep and courses’ tasks, freeing up time for recruiting activities. Another challenge was coordinating everything across different countries and time zones. Since I was targeting opportunities in multiple markets, some days I would sleep at 4am and wake up for classes starting at 8am. The most overwhelming moment was having a major case competition deadline the same week as final-round interviews. Trying to excel at both while maintaining group project commitments felt impossible. That’s when I really had to rely on my classmates and learn to communicate clearly about my bandwidth and priorities.

What are some of the biggest takeaways or skills you gained from the MBA experience?

Two key takeaways stand out from my MBA experience.
First, the program gave me structured ways to approach complex business problems, frameworks for breaking down issues, evaluating options, and building persuasive arguments that I use constantly in strategic decision-making. Whether we’re evaluating new products launch or assessing partnership deals, I rely on the analytical rigor the program instilled in me. The frameworks for breaking down complex problems have become second nature in how I approach strategic challenges.

Second, being surrounded by incredibly talented people from diverse backgrounds taught me the value of intellectual curiosity over always having the answer: asking better questions became more important than having quick solutions. This shift in mindset has been invaluable in my current role. Rather than making quick decisions based on a first assessment, I’ve learned to ask the right questions that help the team surface critical information and perspectives before we commit to a strategy. It’s made me a more effective leader and decision-maker while empowering the team to always deliver their best.

What is your advice for those who are considering applying to the HEC Paris MBA program?

Here are my three pieces of advice for prospective applicants:

First, embrace the discomfort. Be prepared to be challenged in ways you don’t expect; from dense military training to working with people who think completely differently than you. The growth happens in those uncomfortable moments, and that’s where you’ll discover capabilities you didn’t know you had. Second, take advantage of the network early. Don’t wait until recruiting season to build relationships with alumni. More importantly, your classmates are extremely important; they’ll be the ones you’ll easily call or text in the future, so make sure to build relationships from day one once you enter the program. Finally, be open to pivoting. Go in with a plan but be flexible enough to change course. The program will expose you to opportunities and ways of thinking you hadn’t considered. I went in planning to do consulting first but ended up diving straight into entrepreneurship and it’s been the perfect path for me.

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