School Leadership and Governance

The Dean of the School

Babak Mehmanpazir was elected Dean of EM Strasbourg Business School on April 17, 2023. He was officially nominated by the Ministry for Higher Education, Research, and Innovation on the recommendation of the President of the University of Strasbourg. 

He has a great deal of experience and expertise in the world of business schools. Loyal to his institution for more than 25 years and demonstrating an unfailing commitment to the School's development, he established himself as a unifying candidate, capable of bringing together all stakeholders for the implementation of EM Strasbourg's strategic plan.

Babak Mehmanpazir holds a PhD in economics and has been an associate professor of management sciences since 1998. Since his arrival in 1997, he has held several positions at EM Strasbourg and the University of Strasbourg:

• Acting Dean (EM Strasbourg) since October 1, 2022
• Vice President for Continuing Education & Alumni Policy (Unistra) since September 2021 
• Quality and International Accreditations Officer (IAE France) since September 2021
• Vice Dean for International Accreditations & Strategic Management (EM Strasbourg) since 2016
• Associate Dean for Programme Grande École (EM Strasbourg) from 2008 to 2016 
• Dean of the IECS (now EM Strasbourg) from 2005 to 2007 
• Head of the Master of International Trade from 1998 to 2005 

The School Board of Trustees

The School Board of Trustees is made up of 27 members, including representatives of all the School's stakeholders (faculty, students, and support staff) as well as external figures. The Board of Trustees is currently chaired by Christian Buchel, elected from among the external figures for a renewable three-year term. 

The School Board of Trustees meets at least three times a year. Its responsibilities include the following:

• Defining the School's educational and research programs 
• Approving the School's budget and its implementation
• Approving the School's statutes

Christian Buchel, a Key Asset for France’s Electricity Sector:

A committed European at heart, Christian Buchel is the new President of the French Electricity Union (UFE). Since November 2024, he has been drawing on a rich and diverse career to drive both national and European momentum in a sector that must accelerate efforts to decarbonize industry and electrify usage. Today, two-thirds of energy consumption still relies on imported fossil fuels, representing more than €65 billion annually.
Christian Buchel began his career in operational roles within the EDF Group, particularly in Alsace, his home region, before taking on responsibilities in other parts of France. He later worked alongside François Roussely, then CEO of EDF, during the major transformations of the early 2000s, including the opening of electricity markets and the group’s expansion into Germany. As CEO of Électricité de Strasbourg from 2003 to 2008, he established himself as a key energy stakeholder in eastern France, strengthening links between local actors and national strategic challenges.

His career took on a European dimension when he joined EnBW (Energie Baden-Württemberg), Germany’s third-largest energy company, as a member of the Management Board and Chief Operating Officer. Based in Stuttgart, he oversaw strategic areas including energy markets, customer services, and electricity and gas transmission and distribution networks. This experience, at the heart of Germany and across European markets, also brought him closer to Brussels and to the evolution of energy regulation. It reinforced his strong belief in European cooperation in the energy sector. Known for his ability to build ambitious compromises, he successfully balances the interests of industrial stakeholders and public institutions.
After returning to France, Christian Buchel joined Enedis, first as a member of the Executive Committee and later as a member of the Management Board led by Marianne Laigneau. He contributed to strengthening the company’s European positioning and led its digital transformation. Over the past six years, he has overseen the renewal of concession contracts with local electricity authorities and their national federations. At the same time, he supervised customer policy deployment, helping surpass the symbolic milestone of one million renewable energy installations connected to the public grid. This role also nurtured what he considers his second passion after Europe: territories and their diversity.

In parallel, as President of E.DSO (European Distribution System Operators), he represented major electricity distributors at the European level, particularly with the European Commission, on key technological and regulatory issues, further strengthening his influence across the continent.
Deeply attached to his Alsatian roots, he regularly returns on weekends and remains actively involved in networks of Alsatian decision-makers in Paris, while also contributing to Franco-German cooperation. As head of the UFE, an industry association bringing together the main players in France’s electricity system, he leverages his dual expertise: a comprehensive understanding of the electricity value chain, having worked across nearly all its segments, and in-depth knowledge of local and European public authorities and their associated energy challenges.

In Brussels, he promotes France’s strengths, including nuclear energy, while contributing to the development of a European energy policy capable of addressing shared challenges related to competitiveness, sovereignty, and climate.
“In today’s geopolitical and climate context, decarbonized electricity is a key lever to ensure our industrial and energy sovereignty, enhance competitiveness, and address climate challenges. France can and must make a major contribution to the European energy strategy,” he states.
To meet these challenges, Christian Buchel relies on the strength of the electricity sector workforce: more than 600,000 jobs across France—representing two-thirds of employment in the energy sector—while electricity consumption in buildings, transport, agriculture, and industry still accounts for only 25% of total energy consumption. 

Composition of the School Board of Trustees (27 members):

8 research lecturer, lecturer, and researcher representatives 

College A (4):
Jean-Philippe Bootz
Géraldine Broye
Laurent Weill
Marie Pfiffelmann

College B (4):
Philippe Nanopoulos
Pauline Johannes
Thomas Coudert
Delphine Theurelle-Stein

6 student representatives

Jules Andolfato (full member) - Andrea Ristic (deputy)
Karl Feron (full member) - Chirine Talib (deputy)
Antoine Bessereau (full member) - Thomas Dreher (deputy)
Nathan Alexandre (full member) - Marwa Id Moudden (deputy)
Prince Boudijko Azemagho (full member) - Ronares Dongmo Kengne (deputy)
Nohaila Ikram (full member) - Essovale Ali (deputy)

2 support staff representatives  

Alexandre Blum
Giuseppe Malerba
 

11 external figures  

Figures appointed by authorities, organizations, or institutions (7):

Anne Sander, representative of the Région Grand Est Alsace/Champagne-Ardenne/Lorraine
Caroline Zorn, representative of the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg
Anne-Marie Jean  (deputy), representative of the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg
Mireille Jautzy, representative of the business community appointed by the CCI Alsace Eurométropole
Catherine Siffermann, representative of the business community appointed by the CCI Alsace Eurométropole
Sylvère Laude, representative of the association EM Strasbourg Alumni
Valérie Ly Van Manh, representative of the association EM Strasbourg Alumni

Figures chosen by the School Board of Trustees (4): 

Manou Massenez, Vice chair of the School Board of Trustees
Christian Buchel, Chair of the School Board of Trustees
Didier Brassard
Nicolas Faist