EXPLORE 2025: A Landmark Edition for the Clermont SB Alumni Network

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The second edition of EXPLORE, the Annual Flagship Evening organised by the Alumni Association of Clermont School of Business, took place this year in an exceptional setting: the Grand Rex in Paris, with a live broadcast on the Clermont campus. This unmissable event is designed to bring together Clermont SB graduates and students around a shared ambition: to exchange, find inspiration, and deepen their understanding of a rapidly changing world.

EXPLORE: A concept that made its mark from the very first edition

Launched last year, the first EXPLORE evening was highlighted by the contribution of Luc Julia, co-creator of Siri, who came to shed light on the impact of artificial intelligence on our professional lives. That first edition laid the foundation for a unique format: an annual event designed to open new perspectives on major contemporary issues and encourage meaningful interaction across generations.

Since then, EXPLORE has established itself as a key gathering for the Alumni network, reflecting the vitality and diversity of a community now 18,000 strong.

An exceptional guest for 2025: Laura André-Boyet

For this new edition, the Alumni Association had the honour of welcoming Laura André-Boyet, the only French astronaut instructor at the ESA, who notably trains Thomas Pesquet. With authenticity and humility, she revealed the behind-the-scenes reality of a mission as discreet as it is strategic: preparing astronauts to leave Earth.

Her unconventional journey, guided by curiosity and opportunity, perfectly embodies the spirit of EXPLORE: daring to look further, embracing the unexpected, and building one’s path step by step.

Key takeaways from this inspiring talk

From her rich and engaging discussion, several powerful messages particularly resonate with Clermont School of Business graduates and students:

Trust is an essential starting point.
Without it, teams lose efficiency, energy, and the ability to take action.
Believing in the future fuels resilience.
A mindset that helps overcome obstacles.
Great achievements are the sum of small victories.
Progress made step by step, methodically, remains the foundation of any ambitious project.
Changing the words can sometimes change the problem.
An invitation to rethink the way challenges are approached.
Performance relies on preparation and training.
Nothing is left to chance: excellence goes hand in hand with consistency.

These lessons echo the School’s mission: to train enlightened, responsible leaders capable of navigating an increasingly complex world.

A community reconnecting and looking ahead

EXPLORE is also a moment of conviviality and reunion, where cohorts, career paths, and experiences intersect. The success of this edition confirms the vitality of a network that knows how to gather, share, and learn together.

Driven by this momentum, the teams are already looking ahead to EXPLORE 2026, with the ambition of further enriching the format and offering an even more influential event for the Clermont School of Business Alumni community.