Training testimonials

Damien Dronsart, CIO, Caisse Centrale de Réassurance

"The strong point? Training by CIOs, for CIOs. It helps us to step back, formalize, structure and make things concrete. It enabled me to draw up a real communications plan for the IT Department, and also to better communicate and promote our actions, both internally and externally."

Damien Dronsart, CIO at Caisse Centrale de Réassurance, shares his experience of the CIO Executive Certificate course, offered by CentraleSupélec Exed and Infortive.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Damien Dronsard. I've been CIO at Caisse Centrale de Réassurance for just over a year. My career began in development. I then held the positions of project manager, project director, then head of research and development, as a manager. Today, I'm delighted to be contributing to CCR's dynamic development.

What did you learn in the course that impressed you the most?

I really appreciated the modules on CIO leadership: how to define IT strategy, how to align it with that of the company, how to position yourself in relation to other departments.
This gave me a better understanding of key issues such as the CIO's place on the Executive Committee, or his role in supporting transformation initiatives. I found the content particularly rich and useful.

Was there any practical input?

Yes, absolutely. I was aware of the importance of communication, and in particular the need to simplify messages, and avoid anything too technical, especially during progress reports or budget discussions.
But in concrete terms, at IT Department level, we hadn't yet formalized this approach. Thanks to the training, we were able to launch a real project: defining a communication plan, choosing channels and drawing up a schedule. Until then, we had been communicating on an ad hoc basis. Now, we're structuring this dimension as a real project in its own right.

Who would you recommend the course to?

I've already started talking about it with my colleagues. Not all the modules may be relevant for everyone, but some of them would be for my managers.
These are concepts we know, but what makes the difference here are the speakers. Their experience, their anecdotes, their feedback from the field: this is what makes the concepts concrete and immediately applicable. It also helps you get your head out of the game and better understand what you're doing on a day-to-day basis.

What do you think distinguishes this training course from other similar schemes?

For me, it's really the fact that it's made by CIOs for CIOs. That makes all the difference. It's not a theoretical, top-down course: there's a very good balance between conceptual thinking and practical application. And above all, once again, the speakers' feedback makes all the difference.

What impact has this training had on your day-to-day posture?

It has enabled me to better promote and explain what I do, and to give meaning to the IT Department's actions: why we monitor budgets, why we structure activities... So many subjects that I had mastered without necessarily taking the time to formalize or "market" them internally.
Today, I'm better able to communicate effectively, with managers, internal customers and employees alike.

A final word?

Yes: there's clearly a before and an after. At CCR, we're in the middle of a major transformation. Up until then, I'd been very busy with projects and operations.
This training course has given me a real sense of perspective. And today, I can approach my missions with a clearer, more structured vision... and more serenity.

Customer expresses need within 24 hours

Enrichment of requirements by Infortive experts

Drafting and validation of mission statement

Identify the most suitable Interim Managers in 48 hours

Presentation of interim managers at the client's or Infortive's premises

Infortive's recommendations on candidate selection

Transition manager's ownership of objectives

Defining mission communication

Mission kick-off

Mission monitoring by a mission manager and implementation of a mission monitoring schedule

3-week astonishment report and realignment of objectives

End of mission report

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