Home » Team » Team France » Jack Azoulay
- Argos Wityu member since 2022
- Speaks French, English, Spanish and a little German
- ESCP Paris
- Sciences Po
- Université Paris-Dauphine
- Pontificia Universidad Catolica (Santiago, Chili)
- ENA
- Argos Wityu member since 2022
- Speaks French, English, Spanish and a little German
- ESCP Paris
- Sciences Po
- Université Paris-Dauphine
- Pontificia Universidad Catolica (Santiago, Chili)
- ENA
Can you introduce yourself in a few words? Your age, your family situation and the country you live in?
Jack
My name is Jack. I am both French and British and the proud father of 3 teenage girls. I live in Paris, which I believe is one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
Tell us about your career and how you joined Argos?
Jack
I worked for a long time in the public sector, starting in the French Ministry of Economy and Finance at the “Inspection générale des finances”, a ministerial department that audits French public services, where I had both auditing and advisory assignments, and later at the “Agence des participations de l’Etat”, the Government agency that manages the French State’s strategic shareholdings, where I was in charge of managing the industrial portfolio. More recently, I was chief of staff at the Ministry of Ecological Transition, the ministry in charge of public policies relating to energy, biodiversity, transport and housing. I also worked for over six years at La Poste, the French postal operator, during which I held various positions in strategy, marketing & sales and business development, and took an active part in the deep transformation of the company.
After having spent the last four years dealing with environmental issues from within the heart of governmental action, I wanted to continue working on the transition towards a more sustainable development model with a more direct impact and in contact with entrepreneurs making a tangible contribution. Argos’ “Climate Action” fund, which aims at accelerating the environmental transformation and decarbonisation of European SMEs, is the perfect challenge, both attractive and highly motivating!
Is this the path you thought you would take when you started your studies?
Jack
The world of private equity has changed a lot in recent years. What is your definition of PE? How do you see it?
Jack
The feeling that guides you the most in your daily life? What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Jack
I like to feel useful and to interact with people who are motivated by their work. This is also one of the main attractions of my job at Argos. I have the opportunity to talk with lots of people who are passionate about what they do, whether they be people on our team, our advisory partners, our investors or the entrepreneurs we aim to support in their environmental transformation.
What encounter - or moment - has marked your journey at Argos?
Jack
To describe yourself further: It is said that we are the average of the people we meet. Who do you think they are and how do they influence you?
Jack
“I like to feel useful and to interact with people who are motivated by their work. This is also one of the main attractions of my job at Argos. I have the opportunity to talk with lots of people who are passionate about what they do…”
In a more general way, is there a person you admire, who inspires you on a daily basis?
Jack
I would say Jean Moulin, for his sense of honour as well as his leadership qualities and the organisational skills he demonstrated in the French Resistance.
I also admire the postmen and postwomen, who have reinvented their profession over the last few years, distributing far fewer letters but a lot more parcels and home services. It’s a great example of a transformation that preserves the essential mission of the business: linking people together.