Daphné Flament - Account Manager - Alumni of the IAE Pau-Bayonne Master's in International Trade

‘To all students at the IAE Pau-Bayonne: be proud to be part of such a wonderful community. The degree you are working towards offers real added value: IAE Pau-Bayonne's programmes are increasingly recognised, including abroad, particularly among our French-speaking neighbours.’

Hello, could you introduce yourself in a few words? What degree did you obtain from the IAE Pau-Bayonne? What has been your career path so far?

Hello, my name is Daphné and I graduated in 2021 with a Master's degree in Management and International Business, specialising in International Trade, from the IAE Pau-Bayonne. As part of my Master's degree, I did my end-of-studies internship at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Belgium in Brussels. At the end of my six-month internship as an export project manager, my manager offered me the opportunity to continue the adventure with a VIE contract. After two years of voluntary service, I was offered a permanent contract and took up a position as Head of the Agri-Food, Wine & Spirits sector. I spent nearly four and a half years at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Belgium before deciding to change companies. In March 2025, I joined the team at a magazine specialising in gastronomy and hospitality more generally as an Account Manager.

In 2020, you enrolled in the Master 2 International Trade programme at the IAE Pau-Bayonne. Why did you choose this programme?

After completing my Baccalaureate, I chose to pursue studies with an international focus (BTS International Trade, then L3 Eco-Management with a specialisation in International Management), and this Master 2 seemed like the logical next step (and conclusion) of my academic career. I had always wanted to work abroad and/or in an international context, and I knew that the degree I was going to obtain would enable me to achieve this goal.

Can you also tell us about your semester abroad and what you gained from the experience?

My semester abroad took place in the first half of 2020 and therefore, unfortunately, at the beginning of the COVID crisis. I was initially supposed to go to South Korea, but due to the health situation there, I had to change my plans and ended up going to Buenos Aires, Argentina, a destination normally reserved for students on the Latin America master's programme. In the end, as the crisis intensified around the world, I was confined for many months, but being surrounded by Spanish speakers helped me achieve my goal of improving my Spanish! Although this was a very unusual period, I took a lot of positives from it and was able to continue my classes via video link and take my exams remotely without any problems.

How did the IAE Pau-Bayonne help you in your career path and in building it?  

The IAE Pau-Bayonne taught me independence and perseverance. The many guest speakers who came to give talks throughout the Master's programme also helped me to define my career path a little more clearly, with the concrete information they shared with us and relevant information about the professional world. The professional modules such as ‘Challenge Export’ really helped me to understand the challenges facing a company and the questions it may ask itself before embarking on exporting.

Tell us a little about your role as Communications Officer at the IAE Pau-Bayonne Student Union. What did you gain from this experience?

I loved being part of the Student Union during my Master's degree. First of all, this experience allowed me to form real friendships with the other members, with whom I am still in contact today. It also gave me the opportunity to develop my creativity through communication initiatives and to strengthen my organisational and event management skills. These skills are still useful to me today, and I continue to hone them on a daily basis. So I learned a lot, both professionally and personally.

If you had to choose one memorable moment from your years at the IAE Pau-Bayonne, what would it be?

It's very difficult to choose! But I think of the IAE French Cup, which I took part in in January 2019 with other students from the IAE Pau-Bayonne and other IAEs in France. As well as participating, I was also involved in organising the Pau-Bayonne delegation sent to Nice. I have very fond memories of this event because it really strengthens the sense of belonging to the IAE network and forges links between students from all over France. As a little bonus, I was part of the basketball team and we achieved a historic ranking for the IAE Pau-Bayonne by reaching the semi-finals (well done to my teammates in particular, as I was a novice in this sport!).

Do you have a message for students currently studying at the IAE Pau-Bayonne?

To all IAE Pau-Bayonne students: be proud to be part of such a wonderful community. The degree you are working towards is a real asset: the IAE Pau-Bayonne's programmes are increasingly recognised, including abroad, particularly among our French-speaking neighbours. Make the most of your time here by choosing enriching internships that will complement your studies and strengthen your skills. This will give you a real advantage when it comes to standing out to recruiters.

PS: I don't think I need to mention it, but make the most of student life and the parties organised by your beloved BDE :)

Find out more about the Master's in International Trade :

Master's Degree in International Trade from the IAE Pau-Bayonne