Turning fifty in the summer of 2015, I’m married, with five children, aged 19 to 27.  I have a master degree from the Institut Supérieur du Commerce in Paris, with a specialty in marketing.  Fluent in English, I have more than 20 years of professional experience in journalism, book publishing, and multimedia, in regional and international organizations, as commercial director, responsible for marketing and subsequently director of marketing and communication for a number of different products in a business to business and business to consumer environment, and finally as Managing Director.

Since 2007, I have been General Secretary for Bayard Europe and Managing Director of Bayard’s 3 Belgian subsidiaries.

On a more personal note, I am involved in an organization that cares for the sick and the underprivileged.  I jog, play tennis, and love reading and enology.

1. My vision for Bayard in North America for the next few years

Bayard is an organization that, because of a deep connection to its readers, seeks to give meaning to life:  written and illustrated content, transmitted by various media, printed, digital and televised, makes it possible for each person to think about himself, about others, and about the society and the world around him, regardless of distances and differences.

In North America, Bayard will work at developing a number of strong products:

- for the Christian education of children, families and adults,

- for growth in personal faith

- for learning how to receive and transmit what each one receives, either individually or collectively, at home, at school, in the parish, at the office and in daily life.

Bayard in North America, following the example of its parent company, needs to consolidate these major products, with a quality content of interest to the greatest number possible, believers or otherwise.

This practical and pedagogical content should be available everywhere and at all times, in an intuitive manner, easily accessible to the public, with great respect for the human personal and deeply attached to the Roman Catholic Church.

2. What kind of collaboration with the Assumptionists both for Bayard and Hugues?

I have a number of ideas right now, but this is far from a definitive list nor obligatory for those involved:

- a regular editorial contribution by the Assumptionists (in whatever form:  in print, on-line, in discussions or conferences or on the occasion of a special event…); this would be determined according to the editorial needs of each product, regardless of the media;

- quarterly meetings to talk about the life of the enterprise, the accomplishments and difficulties, the impact of Bayard’s work as discerned by the Assumptionists

- the development of a network of acquaintances/contacts in the Catholic Church, in schools, in parishes, in North America; these would be useful for the development of Bayard’s products

- occasional fraternal and open-ended conversations to talk about and to understand the major issues of today’s society

- what I'm waiting for is a close attention to the life of the Catholic Church in North America, to the questions raised in our publications, to the life of Bayard in Worcester once the editorial group has been established there.