Kawtar Sahimi, PGE 2011 graduate and finalist in the inter-company Eloquence competition at the Olympia!

08 September 2023 Association

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MBS is proud to announce an outstanding achievement by one of its former students. This Thursday, June1, Kawtar SAHIMI (PGE 2011 graduate) recently conquered one of the most iconic stages, the Olympia, with a breathtaking performance of eloquence. In this interview, the production buyer tells us how this journey led her to surpass her limits and win3rd prize.

What's the link between being an industrial buyer and taking part in an eloquence contest?

Eloquence is useful not only in everyday life, but above all in my job, most of which involves negotiation. I carry out purchasing actions for my internal customers, with whom I work in project mode from the expression of need to contractualization, so it's easy to understand that "knowing how to speak well" is very important.

What motivated you to challenge yourself by taking part in an inter-company eloquence contest?

I've always had a passion for public speaking! I'm the only girl in a family of four, so I had a lot of verbal jousting when I was younger.

To make my voice and my point of view heard, I've always considered words to be my best "peaceful weapon".

What did taking on this inter-company eloquence challenge enable you to develop or improve?

I discovered that I could be very inspired in my writing and carried away by the themes I was given. In fact, that's what I liked the most!

Being able to denounce societal causes that are close to my heart.

It's worth pointing out that this challenge had a double role - individual and collective, as I proudly represented my company EDF with Camille and Stephane, my colleagues.

How did you prepare for this eloquence contest, and what skills did you develop in the process?

It's an inter-company competition between EDF, Vivendi, Sanofi and Orange.

Each company launched its own internal process, ultimately selecting 3 candidates to represent their employer.

For example, at EDF, at the end of November there were 120 candidates for (30 places) to be judged on a 1-minute "heartthrob" or "rant" video.

In January, I defended my place with a 2:30 minute speech on the theme:

Are we the customers' subjects? Imposed position: Negative.

12 candidates were selected, including me.

At the beginning of April, the EDF internal final (to identify the 3 finalists who would go on to the Olympia to face the other trios) took place on the Jamel Comedy Club stage... Incredible experience.

We were coached by a public speaking teacher at Sciences Po Paris for our texts, and the Cours Florent for our body language and to live the moment to the full.

My preparation was daily with my wonderful little daughter.

Ideas could come to me while I was shopping or washing up. I'd jot everything down on my phone until I'd concatenated it all and came up with these poignant texts!

I've learned to be more at ease in public speaking, more forceful.