Sophie Dulibeau - Director of Institutional and Media Relations Bpifrance
"Do you know Sophie?" With Sophie, we met ten years ago ten years ago : twocollaborations (of a few months) at Vae Solis, some shortes missions menées en ensemblee. Et, onall, memories exchanges, advice at dinners andt at evenings withs Alumni - this the strong and solid network of Vae Solis alumni, this " second fas we so often say to each other. So, qhen I was asked to write his portrait, I threw myself enthusiastically into the exerciseto even better to get to know herît...
When asked about the beginning of her career, Sophie smiles: " Iwas a good student, but I was very chatty! No doubt, this already strong need to communicate! I was very academic, and could have gone into medicine and followed the path of my scientific baccalaureate, but Iundoubtedly had a certain contradictory spirit ". Sophie finally opted for hypokhâgne and khâgne and went on to university in Lille and then Paris, specializing in Public Communication and Political Science. In 2006, it was in Jack Lang's team that Sophie began to learn her trade with François Mitterrand's press attaché. She was my best star," says , "and helped me understand how to build solid relationships with journalists.
A passion for public affairs and city life
Sophie then joined Vae Solis. When asked what she remembers most about working with us, she answers without hesitation: " The adrenalin of the projects, and the trust the teams had in us, the younger ones. I learned the rigors ofthe consulting business, all in a stimulating and, above all, very caring working environment ". After her first spell with Vae Solis, Sophie's career took another turn, towards politics. " Being an advisor to a politician was like a culmination : it enabled me to put into practice all the skills I'd learned in the private sector. Defending a minister ormanaging crisis communication: sometimes you have to act as a 'firefighter ', and rarely do youdo it alone.
Sophie has had the immense good fortune to accompany a number of politicians, acting as press and communications advisor to Sylvia Pinel, Carole Delga, then Martine Pinville, at the Ministry of the Economy, then to Jean-Jacques Urvoas, Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice, and finally to Gérard Collomb, Minister of State, Minister of the Interior. With Jean-Jacques Urvoas, Sophie had a field day: " At the time, there was little talk of the resources available to the justice system, its budget or its operation.Buoyed by the Minister'stireless commitment , we set up a communication strategy aimed at opening up the courts and prisons.With thehelp of the regional daily press , which relayed malfunctions or lack ofresources at each official opening ceremony, we wanted to showcase the day-to-day life of the justice system by inviting the media in, even ifthis meant undermining the " majesty " of the institution .
In 2016, Sophie organized a special France Inter morning show at the heart of the Fresnes penitentiary. A first! Until then, no journalist had had the opportunity to live-tweet a press conference from a French prison. "Communication at the service of community life " is its motto...
So, quite naturally, Sophie joined Bpifrance last year . " It's flattering when someone comes looking for you to continue ' doing Vae Solis ', the job as youlike it, and in a company that is the superb synthesis of private and public sectors that I so enjoyed workingwith before. My mission here is to help reveal our Frenchentrepreneurial nuggets to the media and the institutional sphere ".
After an hour of fascinating discussion, I can answer without ambiguity that I now know Sophie very well, the voluble one, the workaholic, the passionate one!
Sophie in a few dates
- 1985: birth in Limoges
- 2010-2013 & 2019-2023: experience at Vae Solis
- 2023: Director of Institutional and Media Relations, Bpifrance
