emlyon alumni awards 2026: an evening to celebrate those who bring prestige to our community

On 15 June, 400 alumni gathered at the Pavillon Vendôme in Paris for the 6th edition of the emlyon alumni awards, in partnership with Les Echos Le Parisien Médias / Paris Match Médias. Hosted by journalist David Abiker, the ceremony once again honoured graduates whose careers exemplify the excellence, boldness and commitment that characterise the emlyon community.

Each year, the emlyon alumni awards recognise men and women who, through their achievements, help to raise the School’s profile in France and internationally. Whether entrepreneurs, business leaders, or pioneers of social change or innovation, they embody emlyon’s values: high standards, integrity, responsibility, solidarity and diversity.

Six exceptional careers honoured

Following a review of over 700 profiles and the shortlisting of fifteen finalists by a committee comprising the School’s management and the emlyon alumni Board of Directors, a jury of sixteen leading figures from the worlds of business, entrepreneurship and public institutions selected the 2026 winners.

Executive Award

Constance Gruy (MS15)

As Chief Executive of the MAÏA Group, she leads the development of this Lyon-based family business, which has become a major player in the construction and sustainable development sectors. At just 34 years old, she embodies a new generation of leaders who combine economic performance, innovation and a positive impact on the local community.

Entrepreneur Award

Amélie Guicheney (PGE09)

As co-founder and CEO of GAYA, she has established her brand of electric cargo bikes as the French market leader in the family segment. Her career path exemplifies ambitious, sustainable entrepreneurship that is deeply focused on new approaches to mobility.

Rising Star Award

Camille Callennec (PGE21)

CEO and co-founder of Ostrea, he transforms shell waste into low-carbon materials for use in design and architecture. In just a few years, his start-up has established itself as a benchmark for French circular innovation.

International Award

Fatoumata Sy (PGE10)

As Director of Ethical Practices at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, she works every day to uphold ethics, compliance and governance within a humanitarian network operating in 191 countries.

CSR Award

Pierre-Emmanuel Grange (MS02)

As the founder of microDON, a European pioneer in solidarity-based micro-donations, he has been demonstrating for over fifteen years that it is possible to transform small individual gestures into a powerful lever for collective impact.

emlyon Foundation’s Special Mention Award

Sidney Rostan (PGE17)

Founder of the Bionnov Group, he is now one of Europe’s pioneers in biomimicry. Through his work, he supports major industrial groups in developing innovations inspired by living organisms and is pursuing his ambition with the launch of Bionnov Forge, the first artificial intelligence platform dedicated to bio-inspired R&D.

A shared ambition: entrepreneurship with impact

Beyond the diversity of their career paths, the six award winners share a common vision of leadership: to be entrepreneurial, to drive change and to act responsibly.

During the round-table discussion that followed the awards ceremony, they reflected on the key milestones in their careers, the challenges they have faced and the convictions that drive them today. The discussions highlighted strong values: resilience, boldness, the ability to innovate, and also the desire to put their skills at the service of society.

They all also addressed a message to students and recent graduates: believe in your ideas, stay true to your convictions, and never stop learning.

A community united by excellence

The ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception, giving alumni, jury members and emlyon staff the opportunity to continue their discussions in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

With a network that now brings together 52,000 graduates worldwide, the emlyon alumni awards serve as an annual reminder of the richness of the career paths that make up our community and the diversity of ways in which we can contribute positively to the world.

Congratulations to all the 2026 winners!

Coming soon to emlyon-alumni.com: we’ll be publishing a series of profiles so you can find out more about each winner’s inspiring journey.