24.6.2025
In Singapore, the 2025 Commencement Day was more than just a graduation ceremony: it was a celebration of individual achievement and a collective statement of ESSEC’s ambition in the Asia-Pacific region. Held on a pioneering campus where cultures, disciplines, and innovations converge, the event also served as an opportunity to reaffirm the school’s commitment to academic excellence, impact-driven entrepreneurship, and intercultural dialogue.
On June 13, 2025, ESSEC Business School Asia-Pacific celebrated its traditional Commencement Day at the MediaCorp Theatre in Singapore, bringing together over 100 graduates, their families, and members of the ESSEC community. This formal yet festive ceremony marked the culmination of a demanding academic journey, as well as a key moment to reaffirm ESSEC’s ambitions in a highly strategic region.
Opened by Vincenzo Vinzi, Dean and President of ESSEC Business School, the ceremony featured a series of inspiring speeches. Among the speakers, Chris Chong, LVMH Group President, South/South East Asia and Oceania at LVMH and Arnaud Rubeck, president of ESSEC alumni chapter shared their insights and words of wisdom with the new generation of graduates, now proud ESSEC alumni.
The ceremony wrapped up with a powerful message from Reetika Gupta, Deputy Dean of the ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus. Addressing the graduating class, she reminded them that success isn't just about personal achievement, but about the broader impact one creates. “So as you advance in your professional lives,” she said, “I encourage you to remain mindful of the social impact of your work and success.” A fitting close to a day celebrating not just academic accomplishments, but a commitment to responsible leadership in a rapidly changing world.
Inaugurated in 2005, the ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus was the first outside France. Initially based at the National Library, the current campus in Singapore's Nepal Hill district opened in 2015 in the heart of the one-north technology hub. Surrounded by tech companies, research centers, and startups, it offers a dynamic ecosystem focused on innovation, finance, and technology. This strategic location enables ESSEC to welcome nearly 1000 students each year, representing 48 different nationalities.
In a highly competitive regional higher education landscape, ESSEC stands out in Asia for its strong commitment to entrepreneurship, especially impact entrepreneurship, addressing social and environmental challenges. This focus is embedded across all programs taught on campus, from the BBA to the Executive MBA.
Entrepreneurship plays a central role in the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA, particularly through the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Project. This hands-on learning approach is supported by a faculty composed of recognized entrepreneurs and industry experts and is brought to life through key initiatives.
With its 6,500 square meters, 12 classrooms, 19 collaborative workspaces, and 16 student associations, the Singapore campus offers more than academic excellence, it is a lively, inclusive, and engaged community. From MBA Olympics to a national volunteerism initiative with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre whereby ESSEC APAC community pledge 2000 volunteer hours in 2025.
The 2025 Commencement Day marks a milestone year: the 20th anniversary of the ESSEC Singapore campus. Two decades of commitment to excellence in higher education in Asia-Pacific. Today, under the leadership of Reetika Gupta and the ESSEC Asia-Pacific team, the campus is entering a new phase of development, driven by a clear ambition: to strengthen its role as a catalyst for ideas, talent, and responsible solutions in a changing world.
