In this section, we invite you to discover portraits of women through their career paths and experiences. They will also share their advice and their vision of retail.
For our second "Femmes du retail" event, we interviewed Céline Stenger, Director of Strategy and IT Governance at Fnac Darty.
Can you introduce yourself?
Céline Stenger, from Alsace, 37, mother of 2 children (almost 3), has been working at Fnac Darty for almost 12 years.
After a scientific baccalaureate with a major in engineering sciences, I began my higher education by taking an integrated preparatory course at an engineering school specializing in mechanical and production engineering.
At that time in my life, I already felt the need to do a job in line with my values and my ecological awareness.
A year before graduating, I chose to spend 6 months on exchange at Polytechnique Montréal to study engineering and industrial management, my academic field. During this period, I was contacted by an American university in Louisiana. They had been following my sports results, and offered to pay all my travel, accommodation and tuition costs for an MBA if I agreed to join their tennis team. So I joined them for 1 year.
Back in France, I completed my degree and validated my final year with an internship.
It's 2008, the start of digital and e-commerce, and that's what appeals to me. I naturally chose Fnac.com for my internship.
Can you describe your current position at Fnac Darty?
Since the beginning of October 2021, I have become the Director of Governance and Digital Transformation & E-Commerce at Fnac Darty. My scope is made up of 6 teams with around thirty people to manage around PMO management control, urbanization, Software Asset Management (SAM), digital communication, the new Green IT theme as well as Cybersecurity.
What was your background before joining Fnac Darty?
Just an academic background (engineering school, then MBA). I started my professional life at Fnac thanks to my end-of-study internship, and I've never left the company since.
When I started out, I was Supply Chain/Logistics Project Manager for the Fnac.com brand. With my teams, we created the first automated warehouse for the books, CDs and DVDs that made up the catalog.
After 5 years, the group gave me the opportunity to become head of projects and quality at Marketplace . Having been "immersed" in the world of warehousing, my role became much more Digital.
I sold products that no longer belonged to Fnac, as the references came from resellers. The number of products increased considerably over the years.
After 4 years in this position, the Fnac Darty merger took place, and I took over as head of the operations projects division: after-sales service, remote customer relations, delivery drivers, repair workshops, omnichannel and all the tools that go with it.
What challenges or difficulties have you encountered, as a woman, in the Retail / IT world?
I didn't encounter any particular difficulties. With my studies, I was used to meeting few women. My choice of degree option was well-considered and totally voluntary, as was my decision to start at Fnac in the warehouses. The very masculine side of this environment never bothered me. Nor did it prevent me from fitting in and finding my place.
In my field, I wasn't the only female project manager. Admittedly, we're outnumbered, but we're still here!
Fnac Darty has enabled me to develop steadily over the years, so I remain loyal to my company.
I'm currently pregnant with my third child. I've had no difficulty whatsoever in announcing this, and my colleagues and superiors are giving me all the support I need to make my professional and personal life a success. As mentioned above, I've very recently extended my scope of activity, which shows that they value my work and not my condition. I'm very lucky to be able to work in a company with these values.
What advice would you give to women wishing to work in this sector?
First of all, don't put up any unnecessary barriers. I've never felt any, and I've never been made to feel any either.
In the world of retail, women are increasingly present, so don't hesitate to try your luck. In the IT world, women are under-represented, but there are plenty of opportunities to be had.
What do you see as the next trends in retail?
It's hard to say. I don't know what the consumption trends of the new generations will be: will their habits finally be overtaken by the rise of ecology? Will they stop ordering dozens of parcels from home?
Fnac Darty has a highly-developed service and after-sales policy: we now offer a range of subscriptions to provide customers with personalized support in the event of a breakdown on an electrical appliance. With this Darty Max monthly subscription, all Darty household equipment is taken care of, with privileged access to a technician, remote control appointments are scheduled - in short, everything you need to repair the appliance rather than replace it.
Our planet can no longer afford these excessive consumption patterns, so Fnac Darty is gradually changing its business model, even if it means taking risks.
We derefer brands that have programmed obsolescence. We prefer not to sell anything that will break down in the short term, and we highlight a product durability score, based on the availability of spare parts and the breakdown rates of electronic and household appliances (data collected by our after-sales service).
We all have a responsibility to consume more sustainably!
Thank you to Céline Stenger for this interview. See you in January for a new portrait of the "women of retail".