The Singular Origin of Top Managers in France

The recruitment of top managers of French companies is a constant source of amazement. How should the unique role of the Grandes Écoles 1 and the Grands Corps 2 be understood? How is it that, not counting founders and their heirs, such a large number of the top managers of CAC 40 companies should come from such a small breeding ground? Why do the best known of these Écoles give such weight to teaching which is so highly theoretical, even though their purpose is to educate people for action? Why is it that, at every stage in a person’s career (right up to his obituary), his diploma attracts such importance, while one could be forgiven for thinking that only his professional successes should demonstrate his aptitude for management? How is it that the increasing internationalisation of companies, of their shareholder base, their markets and their recruitment has not swept away these ‘archaisms’ for good? It is certainly not because nothing has changed. The practice of parachuting senior civil servants directly into top company jobs has all but disappeared. Members of the Grands Corps who do progress to managerial positions must now complete a full training programme, which almost always implies some international experience, before they can take on such work. However, when all is said and done, the source and background of top managers shows few signs of greater diversity.