Hello Cécile, you have just started your second year as VP Human Resources at Orchestra. What attracted you to this position and how did your career lead you to meet this challenge?

Cecile: The opportunity to structure the HR function and to set up new processes particularly attracted me. My position plays a key role in supporting the development of the company, especially in a context of strong growth.

My background has greatly contributed to preparing me for this challenge. I worked for 20 years in business strategy consulting, an extremely formative and demanding sector. I was also immersed in Anglo-Saxon management, which allowed me to acquire a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach and the achievement of results. This experience is an added value and an asset in my role.

In addition, my three-year entrepreneurial break was extremely formative and puts me in sync with Orchestra's culture where the entrepreneurial spirit is very present.

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Can you explain to us what your missions are?

C.: My time is divided between recruiting and HR functions. In 2023, we successfully completed 26 hires, and in 2024, we finalized 28. These recruitments concern very varied profiles. With the help of the directors, I am able to understand the needs and identify the right profiles.

On the HR side, I work on both operational and strategic aspects: talent retention, support for employees in their professional development, daily management of HR issues and implementation of training and skills development initiatives.

You mention a very entrepreneurial corporate culture, and an objective of retaining talent. What concrete steps do you take to promote the development and commitment of teams?

C.: The key lies in close collaboration with directors and in consistent and transparent communication. It is essential to ensure clarity in our messages, both to management and to teams, in order to guarantee a common and shared vision.

Listening to employees is also essential. I attach great importance to being close to the teams, and I want to be accessible on a daily basis. This availability makes it possible to establish a climate of trust, which is fundamental for a good balance between employees and their management.

Another essential area of work was to restore visibility to employees on their professional development. So I started to restructure the assessment process. It is crucial to offer them clear development prospects, to help them to get out of their comfort zone and to set stimulating goals for them. Giving everyone a vision of the future within the company is also a powerful lever for retaining our talents and promoting their commitment.

Precisely, a new evaluation method has been introduced. What does it consist of?

C.: Our approach is based on a biannual evaluation with detailed written feedback. This represents an investment of time for the managers and teams involved, but every employee deserves this attention. This process aims to provide objective and factual feedback on the performance of the last six months, based on 360° feedback. Concretely, the evaluation is no longer based solely on the judgment of the direct manager, but integrates the feedback of colleagues who have collaborated with the person being evaluated, whether they are at a lower, equivalent or higher hierarchical level.

The objective is twofold:

• Provide consistency with feedback from several sources that allows you to avoid individual biases and to have a more accurate vision of performance.

• Offer employees concrete areas for improvement with specific recommendations on the skills to be developed, in line with their professional goals and those of the company.

Calibrating performance within the same population (similar seniority and function) helps us to ensure the fairness of evaluations and to identify talents with high potential, those who fully achieve their goals and those who require additional support.

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Orchestra and the Travelsoft group are growing rapidly, accompanied by the numerous recruitments you mentioned. What strategies do you have in place to attract the best talent and ensure their integration in a constantly changing environment?

C.: My experience in strategy consulting has trained me in rigorous and selective recruitment processes. I wanted to replicate this requirement at Orchestra. The other strategic axis is based on precise monitoring of new hires throughout their trial period with a final evaluation in line with our biannual evaluation system. This approach ensures objective and documented decision-making regarding the confirmation of the CDI.

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And what are the key profiles you are looking for today to support this dynamic?

C.: Beyond technical skills, we are looking for employees capable of evolving in a human-sized structure, where autonomy, initiative and entrepreneurial spirit are essential. They must be comfortable in a constantly changing environment and be proactive. The internationalization of the group is also a major challenge. English is systematically tested during interviews in order to assess the ability of candidates to evolve in an international context. We also favor profiles with high potential, capable of supporting Travelsoft's rapid growth by taking on new responsibilities and seizing internal mobility opportunities.

What are the main challenges in recruiting talent internationally, and how do you adapt processes to attract talent from different countries?

C.: My scope has recently expanded beyond France, by recruiting a team of developers in Romania in collaboration with our local subsidiary, Travel Connection Technology. In terms of processes, we sought to duplicate our best practices implemented in France by adapting them to an international context. We make sure to maintain the same high standards while taking into account the cultural and organizational specificities of each country. In addition, we are capitalizing on Travelsoft's growing reputation in the travel tech ecosystem.

How do your interventions at professional events reinforce Orchestra's visibility as a leading player in travel tech, especially in terms of recruitment?

C.: During the round table I participated in at IFTM in September 2024, one of the elements that particularly impressed the audience was our professional approach to recruitment. The fact that we have structured our processes with a high level of rigor and that we have succeeded in recruiting a large number of talents has aroused real interest. We also talked about our HR processes, including our assessment method. At the same time, we participate in student forums in order to strengthen our employer brand among young graduates.

Finally, in your opinion, what are the essential qualities to succeed as a human resources leader in a sector as dynamic as travel tech? 

C.: I see two essential qualities: high standards and empathy. One does not go without the other. You must be able to set up a structuring framework while remaining attentive to employees.

A good HR leader must also know how to communicate transparently, even when decisions are difficult. I have always believed that a decision, even a complex one, is better accepted when it is clearly explained. The lack of communication generates unnecessary misunderstandings and frustrations.

Courage is another key quality: you have to take responsibility for your decisions and not dismiss yourself. In a sector as fast-paced as travel tech, where organizations are evolving rapidly, change management is a constant challenge. It is essential to remain firm in your beliefs and choices, while respecting individuals.

Finally, respect is fundamental. It is of course essential in all jobs, but it takes on an even more crucial dimension in HR. It's not just about applying processes, but about building a corporate culture in which each employee feels listened to, valued and involved in collective success.

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