Alexis B
After seven years spent defending the image of the French railway company (SNCF) and railway workers, in 2016, I took the plunge to come and represent Crédit Agricole and bankers. I’m in charge of social media and e-influence for the Group Communication Department at the heart of the press department. My job is to arouse interest, engage conversation and generate debate on topics of interest to the group and its management.
How would you describe the position of “Head of Social Media & e-Influence”?
Very concretely, our tasks can be summed up as follows: intelligence, content production, social web support for managers and experts, running of conversational spaces, sensitive and crisis communication, web PR (influencers and pure players). Our job is to engage conversation and debate. Who do we talk to? Journalists, e-influencers, employees and targeted communities.
What are the peak periods of your job during the year?
The pace is more hectic in the press department because we are constantly bombarded with an incessant flow of information about the group and the sector in general. It is important to be able to build an ecosystem and a well-established organisation over the long term, to prepare and carry out occasional communication operations and to be responsive to the continuous flow of information: seize communication opportunities and detect weak signals on sensitive subjects before they become subjects of crisis communications.
Can you describe your typical day?
There is no typical day, and this is what makes the job interesting. There are of course daily priorities, but there is no straightforward daily routine given the wide range of topics to be dealt with. I’m lucky to work in a close-knit team that is professional but able to switch off when necessary. That is a big advantage.
What career path is required to reach your position and what are the possibilities for development?
I did not study communications. I have a general academic background in international relations, political science, negotiation and crisis management. It was at the SNCF, the country’s most media-oriented company, that I got my start in communications, which I loved. Crédit Agricole has brought a more international dimension and the pressure of a listed company that I did not know before. Bankers and railway workers have one thing in common: they do not have a good reputation. This makes the challenge more exciting each time.
As regards a possible required background, I would say that there is no rule. A communicator is an open-minded, curious person, capable of understanding and putting together sometimes complex subjects. It is a person who, contrary to popular belief, needs to be humble and knows how to stay in the shadows to bring others to light.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of taking up a similar position?
Advice is not meant to be followed, but this is what I would say if I really had to offer it: be curious, take a step back, take time to reflect in a context where information moves very fast and social networks require great responsiveness and which, when it gets hot on sensitive subjects, inflames people’s minds. Keep a cool head by detaching yourself from pressurizing factors within the context is the key to success.