Goldman Sachs partners with ESSEC Business School for the French launch of its 10,000 Small Businesses program

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) today announced the launch in France of its 10,000 Small Businesses program in partnership with ESSEC Business School. Aimed at managers and founders of French VSEs and SMEs, the program will welcome its first cohort during the first semester of 2021, and will be fully-funded by the Goldman Sachs Foundation. 

Designed by Goldman Sachs to help leaders of small businesses, the 10,000 Small Businesses training program will operate nationally throughout France.The goal of this program is to foster sustainable business growth, the resilience of business leaders and long-term job creation in France. Often described as a “mini-MBA”, it focuses on the key factors which will help VSE/SMEs to develop and implement a new growth strategy.

For the rollout of this initiative in France, Goldman Sachs has chosen to partner with ESSEC Business School, one of Europe’s leading management higher education institutions. French small-business leaders who take part in the 10,000 Small Businesses program will benefit both from ESSEC Business School’s pedagogical resources and materials, and from the training materials developed by Goldman Sachs for the United States and the United Kingdom, which will be adapted to suit the French context.

Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery, welcomed this initiative: “The 10,000 Small Businesses program launched by Goldman Sachs is a formidable testament to France’s attractiveness. It underlines the need for large companies and VSE/SMEs to work together in order to grow and gain market share. In France, VSEs / SMEs employ approximately 6.5 million people, so we are relying on them for the recovery of the country. They are an essential component of our country’s dynamism and our economic fabric.” 

David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, said: “VSE/SMEs are the backbone of successful economies and they support the development of countries around the world. They account for 99% of businesses in France and therefore play a key role in the country’s prosperity. Goldman Sachs, which has been successfully supporting small-businesses in their development in the United States and the United Kingdom for a decade, is proud to launch its 10,000 Small Businesses program in France. This launch demonstrates our commitment to the French market, at a critical time when French VSEs and SMEs are looking to bounce back from the impact of the health crisis and emerge stronger and more robust. Along with our academic partner, ESSEC Business School, Goldman Sachs will support offer nationwide support to France’s small-business leaders and founders through a unique, fully-funded and tailored program, designed to equip them with the skills, expertise and networks they need to increase their revenue, realize their full economic potential and create jobs. »

Vincenzo Esposito Vinzi, Dean and CEO of the ESSEC Group said: “ESSEC Business School is proud to be the academic partner of Goldman Sachs for the development of this unique program in France, which has already proved its worth in supporting VSE/SMEs. Now, more than ever, in these unprecedented times, companies need the keys that will enable them to ensure the sustainability and development of their organization. This program provides the opportunity for them to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of leading scholars and experts in their field of operation. This will enable them to initiate must-needed changes for creating value which is at the same time responsible, inclusive and sustainable.”

The program offers high-level academic content, group support, as well as personalized business coaching so as to enable its beneficiaries to achieve their full potential.

 It provides managers and founders with know-how that is immediately applicable to companies in the areas essential to their development: strategy; leadership; marketing; and finance. In addition, 10,000 Small Businesses focuses particularly on developing the resilience of the leaders who follow the program, and on the benefit of shared experiences, by placing them within a network of peers who share the same objectives.

 The program is open to managers of VSEs and SMEs anywhere in France who want to accelerate the development of their company. All business sectors are eligible.

 The eligibility criteria for admission into the program are as follows:

-          be the owner or main decision-maker of your business;

-          not have received in-depth or recent training in management;

-          run a company that has been in business for at least three years;

-          employ a minimum of five employees;

-          have a turnover in excess of 250,000 euros.

 To apply, click here

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