Thomas Le Cardinal (EXEC ED 2024): When an MBA turns a conviction into a career
For more than twenty years, Thomas Le Cardinal has been at the forefront of transformation and innovation at PSA. Over the years, a conviction has taken hold: he wants to devote his professional energy to the ecological transition and sustainable development—not as a peripheral issue, but as the core of his work.
To bring this career shift to fruition, he chose to enroll in the CSR & Organizational Performance Management MBA program at De Vinci Executive Education, which provided him with the tools, methods, and strategic vision needed to drive sustainable mobility today at Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale.
The Game-Changing MBA
Sometimes, a single line on a resume can make all the difference.
“I was working in innovation and had applied for three positions in sustainable development. Each time, I was told that the other candidates were more qualified and better trained than I was.”
It’s a complete paradox: you can’t get the job without the training, and you can’t get the training without already having the job. It was while searching for a way out of this dead end that Thomas discovered De Vinci Executive Education’s MBA in CSR Management & Organizational Performance. He applied for a career transition program and secured funding.
One day of classes per week for a year: a demanding commitment, but also an investment that would quickly pay off.
“As soon as I was able to write ‘MBA in CSR Management & Organizational Performance (in progress)’ on my resume, I started landing interviews.”
Developing an organization’s sustainability strategy, creating sustainable business models, implementing a sustainability policy, leading and evaluating sustainability projects, and facilitating CSR sustainability communities… . Thomas acquired a vocabulary, methods, and skills that were immediately recognized by recruiters.
“I especially remember one project where six of us students worked for a company on sustainability issues. We conducted a double materiality analysis—it was incredibly hands-on.”
Giving Meaning to One’s Experience
Today, Thomas works at the Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale’s Mutualist Institute for the Environment and Solidarity.
“I was looking for a company that was genuinely committed to sustainable development. Crédit Mutuel is owned by its customers and therefore has no shareholders to compensate. Three years ago, a social dividend was introduced, allowing the company to return 15% of its profits to society to fund environmental or social projects. Since its inception, more than 1.5 billion euros have been distributed.”
There, he serves as a Sustainable Mobility Expert, working at the intersection of finance, mobility, and the green transition. His role? To advise the group’s various business units on sustainable mobility issues: fleet financing, investments, freight transport, analysis of companies in the sector, and support for startups focused on the green transition.
It’s a strategic role that draws on both his twenty years of experience in the automotive industry and the skills he acquired during his MBA.
“This career change has been beneficial: the MBA provided me with all these skills in sustainable development. I learned a lot during the program, and I’m continuing to learn a lot in my new role.”
Today, careers are no longer linear: professions are evolving, and new areas of expertise are emerging. Companies are looking for candidates who can combine hands-on experience with new skills.
What if your next career move were the one?
📌 Find all the information here about the MBA programs offered by De Vinci Executive Education
An Alumnus to follow!
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