Testimonials

They dared to use humour.
They recommend it.

Leaders, managers and teams — from Unilever to Cambridge, from EDF to the Banque de France — share what humour changes when it becomes a real leadership lever.

2,000+
EDF managers in a single live
100+
organisations supported
Since 2019
entertainment · business · science

Leadership through humour is a new way to manage and influence that can help us grow together!

SXSunny Xu
Global eCommerce Director, Unilever

Strong, original content — substance and style, with a smile and real panache as a bonus! A punchy delivery.

VPVickie Pajon-Delemazure
Senior Manager, Banque de France

A truly original way to tackle important topics and defuse delicate situations through humour. Highly recommended!

JCJean-Gil Contreras
Development Director, Vinci

It was brilliant! Really interesting content and, on top of that, it’s funny! We even got to practise “doing” humour ourselves.

SBShima Barakat
Director, Sustainability Programme, Cambridge University

Vanessa captivated nearly 2,000 managers across the EDF Group. So much freshness and conviction, backed by research.

SKStephany Kong
Marketing, EDF Université

An interactive, high-energy session: serious without taking itself seriously, with a touch of so-British humour!

NLNicolas Lepage
Accelerator Manager, BPI France

Complete buy-in from our people, both to the topic and to the quality of the presentation and exchanges. Thank you!

PGPauline Grenier
Talent & Performance, Atos

Your energy impressed everyone. It’s as if you kept us on the edge of our seats for three hours! Bravo.

VMVanessa Miler-Fels
Global VP Environment & Climate, Schneider Electric

Thank you! You inspired me to rethink organisational culture.

DBDavor Bozic
Customer Experience Leader, Cisco

A different, dynamic and accessible approach that shines a light on an underrated lever: humour as a tool for connection and effectiveness. Inspiring, useful and uplifting.

DADavid Auriac
Member of the CJD

She struck the right balance between relevant theory and very telling role-plays. Those “use cases” strengthened the team. I highly recommend her.

CDChristophe Desseignes
Corporate Engagement Director, Orange

A seminar that blows you away! Thank you for the energy. It soothes, it relaxes, it brings people back together. A real success.

LSLaure Sanchez
Centre Director, MGEN

Thanks to this session, we realised that fun is a key value of our company and of its performance.

AMAlice Mafaity
General Manager, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Beyond the enjoyment it brings, humour is a powerful tool for cohesion, creativity and performance. The workshop was especially appreciated!

LMLeïla Marle
Department Head, GRT Gaz

The codes, benefits and limits of humour at work. The quality of the facilitation put everyone at ease. A big thank you!

JRJérôme Rehlinger
CEO, M comme Mutuelle

The idea of bringing humour to leadership is truly unique. Come with an open mind: there’s a great deal to learn.

RGRina Goldenberg Lynch
Founder & CEO, Voice At The Table

Your session is genuinely powerful. Thank you for opening so many minds to rethinking humour and the importance of inclusion.

EBElizabeth Boerner
Head of Loyalty Strategy, Barclays UK

A workshop I’ll remember for a long time! I got on stage to do stand-up for the first time in my life. And I loved it.

ABAlexandre Borie
CEO, Startlead

A fun, interactive workshop and a great way to lift inhibitions. I can’t wait to use these techniques to help my team be more comfortable with failure.

PTPhilina Toiny
Principal, Capgemini Invent

Professionalism and good humour. We worked seriously and seriously relaxed our view of modern management. Thank you!

DVDamien Verhille
Facilitator, GERME network

In our weekly team meeting over video, I applied Vanessa’s recommendations. Stunning results: relaxed atmosphere, motivated team, a shorter and more effective meeting.

AVAnne Viotte
Team Lead

A clever blend of humour and science! An evening described as “memorable” and “unique” by many guests.

FHFrode Hvaring
Managing Partner, Novelia

This talk was brilliant and so engaging!

KLKate Lewis
Innovation & Future Technologies, MBDA

I had never experienced anything like it in my professional life. It was so energising!

FBFrances Bycroft
Programme Manager, Institute for Manufacturing, Cambridge

For International Women’s Week, Vanessa showed with tremendous energy how humour serves leadership. Weeks later, our teams were still talking about it!

LJLaurence Jacob
Market Intelligence Analyst, Inmarsat

Vanessa changed my life! Her approach to leadership through humour opened the doors of the “boys’ club” and improved my relationships on the board.

ASAngela Single
Director of New Business Development, BridgeHead Software

Thank you for this fantastic session, Vanessa! So refreshing and forward-looking on the age-old question of leadership.

EBEmma Røisli Berge
Customer Development, Unilever

Excellent workshop and great energy in the room — bravo.

LYLin Yue
Executive Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

I can’t recommend this session enough. Vanessa is engaging and funny while sharing her research on humour at work. Fantastic — thank you!

GTGeorgina Toft
Project Manager, IHS Markit

Dr Vanessa Marcié, or the power of humour in our professional environments. A new key to transforming companies, for sure.

BVBérangère Viotte
Digital Transformation Project Lead, BPCE

I put the learnings into practice and I can say it: it really works!

VPVanessa Lee Poole
HR Projects Business Partner, WPP

The “Improving diversity through humour” bootcamp is the fastest, most innovative way to spark real change in teams!

MJMarie Juyaux
Deputy CEO, Qwant

Vanessa made me realise that I, too, can lead with humour. She truly transformed the way I use it at work.

LRLaveena Ramchandani
Senior Consultant, Deloitte UK

Brilliant and insightful! It will clearly leave a mark on many of us. Thank you, Dr Vanessa Marcié.

LVLaurent Vromman
National Delivery Head, Sogeti

An engaging and funny speaker — her energy and enthusiasm are contagious, and she delivers relevant content in a genuinely fresh way.

AVAngie Vaux
Founder, Women in Tech Forum

Thank you Vanessa for this day full of humour. I’m taking away so much inspiration and ideas, drawn from your unique experience.

GHGhina M. Halabi
Space Scientist, Cambridge University · TEDx Speaker

A day exchanging on the art of teaching with humour. Each in our own way, we create impact. Thank you, Dr Vanessa Marcié! #proudlyedhec

MCMarie-Cécile Cervellon
Professor & Head of Faculty Marketing, EDHEC

The Leading With Humour training helped me step back from my work environment and know which humour to adopt — or avoid. A seasoned facilitator, an expert in her field.

SPSéverine Pilorget
Consultant, Crescendo Conseil

Vanessa is engaging, enthusiastic and incredibly skilled. Bringing a room (and a Zoom) of strangers together and connecting them through humour is a real talent. I recommend her without reservation.

SRSimone Robinson
Regional Director East of England, The Oakridge Centre

No testimonials in this category.

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