Santos is an iconic French company, founded in 1954 by André Fouquet, specialising in the design and manufacture of professional electrical equipment. For more than 70 years, Santos has continued to innovate, drawing on its renowned expertise to develop robust and reliable products, particularly for catering and café professionals. The Santos brand is now renowned worldwide for the durability and quality of its equipment. With a view to growth and internationalisation, Santos has entrusted the development of its business in the American market to iaelyon's promotion department.

The Executive International MBA is a specialised programme designed for experienced professionals, aimed at strengthening their strategic management skills in an international environment. Through a teaching approach focused on the acquisition of practical knowledge and the analysis of real-life cases, the IMBA trains leaders capable of making decisions.

A stimulating case study

This project, focused on developing the company's presence in the American market, required intense intellectual engagement and strong organisational skills from these 15 professionals from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. This collaboration proved to be a valuable and demanding learning experience, where each participant was able to demonstrate their strategic management skills while enriching their expertise in international expansion.

"This business case was an excellent opportunity for us to take a step back and look at our development in the United States. The support of the iaelyon students was invaluable, as it gave us new insights and their expertise has given us new impetus to take a step forward in the strategic US market. The discussions were of a high quality and their recommendations will be a great help for the future."
— Aurélien Fouquet, CEO of Santos

From iaelyon's perspective, participant feedback was unanimous: the Santos case generated considerable enthusiasm. They praised the relevance and richness of the subject matter, which pushed them out of their comfort zone while strengthening their critical thinking skills and their ability to work as a team on complex issues.
 

"It was really great to get hands-on with a real case after all the classroom work. In my job, I occasionally do media consulting for clients, but I’ve never actually been trained for it. That’s why the framework we learned while working on the case was so valuable—I know I’ll keep using many of the tools and tips moving forward.
Presenting our findings to the client was the cherry on top. It was great to see their reactions and hear their feedback—which, in our case, was very positive."
Naira

« The business case was a powerful opportunity to apply the insights and tools we’ve gained from this year’s modules—such as for example: competitive strategy, the legal environment and internationalisation strategies. Working on a real business challenge made the experience especially meaningful: it pushed me to think more critically, underscored the value of collaboration, and helped me bridge the gap between theory and practice, especially in areas that were new to me. I believe offering experiences like this is one of IAE Lyon’s key strengths, and a testament to how well the program connects academic learning with real-world application »
Aga

" The business case was an enriching experience that gave me the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired throughout the IMBA program in a real-world setting, sharpening my ability to prioritize,  collaborate effectively, and deliver results within tight deadlines. Above all, it has equipped me with the confidence to take on complex business tasks moving forward".
John

A win-win relationship

This partnership perfectly illustrates iaelyon's educational approach: anchoring learning in the reality of business, promoting exchanges and building bridges between the academic and professional worlds. Students were able to contribute to high-level strategic thinking, while Santos benefited from new perspectives and recommendations to accelerate its development in the American market.

We would like to warmly thank Aurélien Fouquet, CEO of Santos, and his entire team for their commitment and trust throughout this partnership. We are particularly grateful for the passion they brought to this project and the way they shared their expertise and challenges with the participants.