The Director of PayPal France in Masterclass at ESC Clermont BS

Our MSc – Master of Science Corporate Finance & Fintech program stands out from other French and European master’s programs due to the unique combination of corporate finance and financial technology. This blend of knowledge and know-how enables us to meet the expectations of recruiters who are actively seeking financial experts specialized in digital tools.

The MSc – Master of Science Corporate Finance & Fintech Program Welcomes Its Sponsor.

Practical experience, projects based on concrete and real cases, challenges, business games… Practice is at the heart of this major co-constructed by eminent professors from France, India, Germany, United States, Morocco, United Kingdom, Spain, and China as well as renowned practitioners from PayPal, Capgemini, Worldline, AlphaValue, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, and L.co.

ESC Clermont Business School is delighted to welcome Francis Barel, Director of PayPal France, and sponsor of the MSc – Master of Science Corporate Finance & Fintech class of 2022-2023, for a Masterclass* on the theme of “Neobanking**”.

The event gave us the opportunity to speak to Francis Barel about his career and his commitment to ESC Clermont:

COULD YOU GIVE US SOME DETAILS ABOUT THE KEY STAGES OF YOUR CAREER?

After studying at EDHEC and graduating in 2001, I joined BNP Paribas to work on the merger of the two banks as an internal consultant. I then moved to the United States to do an MBA at Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth. After graduating in 2005, I joined Opera Solutions, a small strategy consulting firm specialized in financial services, based in New York. During the next 4 years, the firm grew from 50 to 450 consultants, many of whom I recruited myself! When my daughter was born, we decided to return to Paris and I joined Wight Consulting, also specializing in financial services, to help them develop their payments business. After 3 years, in 2013, I joined PayPal.

A FEW WORDS TO INTRODUCE PAYPAL FRANCE?

PayPal France is PayPal’s 4th largest market in the world in terms of consumers and serves over 14 million active users. We help large companies, but also small businesses and freelancers to develop their online activities,  both in France and worldwide and we help French consumers to buy online in France and abroad in a simple and secure way.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF THIS COMPANY?

I manage a team dedicated to the development of the French market, I represent PayPal in France and internally for all matters that affect France.

SPONSORING OUR MSC – MASTER OF SCIENCE CORPORATE FINANCE & FINTECH PROGRAMME, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR PAYPAL FRANCE? AND FOR YOU?

I am delighted to be able to help students better understand the world of Tech, to get a taste for innovation and e-commerce. For PayPal France, this means continuing to support schools to train students, and maintain a growing diversity on the job market.

WHY DID YOU COME TO TEACH AT ESC CLERMONT BS?

Because I was invited! And because it’s exciting! I’m delighted to come and present PayPal to the students and to share the key success factors of e-commerce with them.

INTERNSHIPS, WORK EXPERIENCE, WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS AT PAYPAL FRANCE?

PayPal does not offer work-study programs but does offer 6-month internships, from January to June and July to December. For 2024, the internships will be posted on our site during the second half of 2023.

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT FINANCE?

It is such an innovative sector, which can make a real difference in the world when working on financial inclusion, and in financing great projects for businesses!

*A Masterclass is a tailor-made educational format that allows students to develop new skills through lectures delivered by one or more high-level speakers. It is a highly specialized training session generally followed by privileged exchanges between students and experts.

** Neo banking refers to the field of neo banking, a type of direct banking that operates exclusively online, without a traditional physical branch network.