James Rance

student in MSc in Supply Chain Management programme (2018-19)

Before joining NEOMA Business School, I previously worked in Logistics for an online retailer in the UK. The company sold premium cosmetics (make up, skin care, hair care and perfume) and my responsibilities involved inventory management, purchasing and warehouse management. My academic background is very far from supply chain in that I have a Degree (BA) and Masters (MA) in Philosophy.

Why did you choose to study in France ?

I choose to study in France as this is where I would like to work after my studies are complete. Having the qualification from a French institution will be useful in future job applications and the course also gives me more than a year to learn as much French as I can.

How did you get to know NEOMA BS and the programme?

My wife was aware of the programme so I looked into it.

Why did you choose NEOMA BS MSc in Supply Chain Management programme?

The MSc in Supply Chain management closely fits with my previous working experience and what I would like to be my future working prospects here in France so choosing it made complete sense.

What are the strong points of the programme from your point of view ?

It provides a very good overview of the fundamentals of supply chain and expands my existing knowledge of my previous role and in some case provides me with the proper name for the way in which I was instinctively organising my sections of the warehouse. The professors are knowledgable (obviously) and are, on the whole, very approachable.

What do you like most about the school ?

The professors and other students really make NEOMA Business School a great place to study. The facilities of the school are also excellent and being older than most of the other students, I find having easy access to coffee is very useful!

What is the most striking experience or highlight you would like to convey to a prospective student in Supply Chain Management?

A shock for me was the amount of theoretical maths and algebra which I find quite difficult but not insurmountable. The highlight so far has been meeting my classmates. It is amazing to work with friends I have made on the course and to all strive for the same things.

Would you like to share some aspects of your social life in Rouen, Paris, Europe …?

Social life in Rouen is good. The city as a whole is quite small compared to where I have lived before (London in particular) but the student unions organise a lot of activities and the city is a safe and relaxed place to hang out. Paris is one the of best cities in the whole for almost everything you could want to do and it is only an hour away by train or road. Rouen, being so close to Paris, has great access to the rest of Europe for weekend breaks or vacations.

Would you recommend NEOMA BS? And why ?

I would indeed recommend NEOMA Business School as it is a great school with a great atmosphere and excellent professors. I can not speak for the other programmes offered at NEOMA BS but for me I have so far thoroughly enjoyed my time here.