Interview with Valérie Noury (BSB'87), Board Member of the BSB Foundation

Since 2021, Valérie Noury, a 1987 graduate, has served as a Trustee for the BSB Foundation. This commitment reflects a rich career spanning major corporations, international mid-sized companies, and now interim management, always driven by the same ambition: to help both organizations and people grow.

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Giving is sometimes simply a matter of passing on what you have received yourself.

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Today, Valérie channels this energy into supporting BSB students, convinced that everyone can, in turn, open doors for others.

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In this interview, she reflects on her turning point, her vision of mentoring, and what truly drives her commitment.

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What was your "turning point" for getting involved with the BSB Foundation?

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The turning point was very simple: the realization that I could, in turn, open doors for others.

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I realized how much certain encounters had mattered in my own journey. At some point, you understand that you are no longer just a beneficiary of an ecosystem… but that you can become an active participant in it.

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Joining the Foundation was my way of making a concrete commitment to pay it forward.

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Which cause or type of project supported by the Foundation touches you most personally?

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The Mentoring program, without hesitation.

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Because equal opportunity isn't just about financial support. It’s about confidence, networking, and career planning. A student may have talent and energy but lack guidance. Mentoring creates that decisive link between potential and a career path. What moves me is that moment when a beneficiary realizes they are capable, that they belong, and that they can aim high.

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As an alumnus, what is the greatest satisfaction you get from contributing to the BSB Foundation?

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Seeing a student gain confidence. Watching them grow, take risks, structure their plans, broaden their horizons, and define their ambitions. And hopefully, a few years later, seeing them become a mentor themselves! That’s when you realize you haven’t just helped one person, but contributed to a virtuous cycle.

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What is your personal motto for the next generation?

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Never let anyone else define your limits for you. Work hard, hold yourself to high standards, but keep your boldness and your enthusiasm. Your path is not set in stone.

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What excites you most about how your school has evolved since you were a student?

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Its international reach and its ability to transform. BSB has successfully strengthened its reputation, developed new programs, and innovated, all while keeping what makes it unique: its accessibility, the attention paid to each individual, and its human dimension. It is a school that evolves without losing its soul.

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If you could go back in time for one day at BSB, where would you go? What would you do?

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I would go back to the lecture hall. Not to relive a specific class, but to feel that initial energy: the possibilities, the ambition, the passionate discussions after class.

And I would simply tell myself: Enjoy it. Be bolder. And trust yourself!

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And you, as a BSB graduate? What contribution would you like to make to the development of your school?

Join the movement: Become a donor, a mentor, an ambassador...

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