Geneva-based company finds its talent pool at EPFL

Supply chain management is the magic formula linking alumni of the MTE Master's program at the College of Management of Technology and EyeOn, a consulting firm specializing in this field. EPFL is one of the few institutions in the region to offer this specific training for engineers. Since an alumnus joined the originally Dutch company at its branch in the Cité de Calvin in 2018, the connection has been firmly established. Enrique de la Fuente is the second EPFL alumnus to follow the same path, becoming the head of this consultancy specializing in supply chain management. In five years, the team has grown to 12 employees, including nine MTE graduates. Most of them began their careers with an internship.

“Our customers come from a wide variety of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and new technologies. We need people who can master both the technical aspects of the production chain and the human and management skills needed to communicate and understand their requirements,” explains Enrique de la Fuente. “The MTE curriculum brings together all these skills in a course specifically geared to the supply chain.”

First job with responsibilities

The international background of EyeOn's employees also echoes the MTE Master's degree. Nearly 10 different nationalities are represented. Jouanna Elbast, who is Lebanese, and Benjamin Bollade, who is French, are just two of the MTE graduates who joined the office in 2022 after an internship. “We're all between 26 and 30, and the atmosphere is very good. We're both colleagues and friends, and everyone brings a bit of their own culture to the office. With our shared knowledge, we can help each other out,” observes Benjamin Bollade.

The consulting world can be highly competitive, but both alumni appreciate the working conditions at EyeOn, as it quickly offered them responsibilities, especially for a first job. “We're asked to be independent right from the start, and we're quickly trusted. It can be a bit scary at first, but it's a great learning experience,” says Jouanna Elbast. She adds: “EyeOn combines supply chain expertise with an entrepreneurial spirit. Everyone works on their own projects at their own pace. During my MTE studies, I learned to develop an analytical and solutions-oriented attitude, but I also acquired complementary, less technical skills in the management and entrepreneurship courses. The Master's program quickly immersed us in concrete projects. And that helps me today.” For Benjamin Bollade, the MTE taught him to “learn fast, and it's the same with customers in my day-to-day work”.

Start-up spirit

A start-up spirit reigns within the company, which cultivates a horizontal management style. “We prefer candidates with an independent profile who are ready to take on responsibility,” confirms Enrique de la Fuente. Being both an engineer and a supply chain engineer drastically reduces the choice of the ideal recruit. In fact, EyeOn's Zurich office also seeks the majority of its talent from ETHZ.

Other advantages of EyeOn in the eyes of MTE alumni: flexible working hours, remote work and the company's support in finding a work-life balance. “You don't count your hours, but you know what you're working for. I'm a competitive paraglider and I've been able to rearrange my working hours, for example, so that I can combine my sport with my job,” Benjamin Bollade enthuses. “The company also respects my decision not to fly regularly for ecological reasons, and selects my customers accordingly.”

This “happy marriage” between the Geneva-based company and EPFL also continues on the training front. Enrique de la Fuente has taken on the role of MTE mentor for the past two years. “It's a great way of staying connected with the program and with students who may want some support and advice,” he concludes.