Testimonials

Interview

Louey JEDER, Administrator and IT Security Project Manager – LDA

1) Could you summarise your career path and present your current position? If you have evolved within LDA, could you please specify it?

Passionate about IT, I decided to attend a school specialized in IT and offering work-study training course in 2018. I then applied to LDA, hope and perseverance were my two allies. I was hired as a systems and networks technician apprentice. I had the chance to evolve during my 4 years of apprenticeship and endorse the role of Network and Database Systems Administrators then IT Security Project Manager. I have carried out numerous missions on the Group’s ships: in Dunkerque, Calais, Singapore, Poland, on the Canary Islands, in Turkey … Louis Dreyfus Armateurs allowed me to acquire a lot of skills such as technical, linguistic and project management. Today, I have the pleasure of joining the group on a permanent contract as Administrator and IT Security Project Manager.

2) What do you particularly like about your job?

I was fortunate to be able to work in the IT support for users, which allowed me to have direct contact with the various collaborators. I was also sometimes among the first people to welcome newcomers and participate in their integration into the company. What I like most about this job is the vast scope of IT, the constant evolution of IT technologies and the maritime world, which is a field that I really liked for its greatness and diversity. Over the past few years, I have been able to participate in the development of several projects on board ships, in particular the implementation of the IT infrastructure of SOV, Wind Of Change, Wind of Hope ships and securing the systems of information on the entire fleet.

3) About your job: would you have an anecdote or an important fact to share?

Most of the time we operate remotely, but it’s really once you’re on board that you understand the needs and our responsibility within the company. I have, on several occasions, put on the work outfit, the helmet and the gloves, and been able to put myself in the same working conditions as the sailors while doing my job as a computer scientist. It is really a chance to be able to participate and especially to witness the various operations of the ships from the front row.

4) What is your motto ?

We all help steer the rudder !

Interview

Emma BELMAIN, Planning Coordinator – LDA

1) Could you summarise your career path and present your current position? If you have evolved within LDA, could you please specify it?

Former trilingual assistant manager, it is on LinkedIn that I discovered the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) group and its universe. The adventure began for me in September 2018  within the Louis Dreyfus Seaplane (LD Seaplane) team. I am responsible for planning the transportation of oversized sections of Airbus planes via barges, trucks as well as on our LDA ships. I also participate to the update of our quality documentary system.

2) What do you particularly like about your job?

No day is alike at LD Seaplane. Every day, you must manage emergencies and hazards in coping with the various traffic streams around the world, it’s very stimulating. Emergencies also mean new situations to adapt to – I feel like I’m learning every week. My job also allows me to be in daily contact with people from all over the world, each of whom performs completely different functions, I love it! Finally, what I particularly appreciate is my team, which is like a second family. We are very close and we support each other in our missions, always in a good mood.

3) About your job: would you have an anecdote or an important fact to share?

My job has allowed me to observe the handling of huge fuselage parts on trucks or ships. Some of them were impressive, you wouldn’t imagine parts of A380 or Beluga XL could fit on a trailer or a mafi (a type of harbor trailer)! I also visited various Airbus assembly plants and had the honor of boarding on a Beluga XL as well as an Antonov. These are great memories.

4) What is your motto ?

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

Interview

Bernardo FORTINI, Marine Engineer – LDA

1) Could you summarise your career path and present your current position? If you have evolved within LDA, could you please specify it?

From a young age I have been passionate about ships and the merchant navy. There was something unusual about the maritime industry I was meant to discover. In 2013 I joined the department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). In 2017, I was awarded a scolarship to pursue my studies in France on the same field.

I hold a double degree diploma on Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from ENSTA Bretagne and UFRJ.

Before joining LDA, I worked on the assessment of seaworthiness of offshore O&G platforms at SBM Offshore (Monaco) and with Dynamic Positioning systems at Centrum Techniki Okrętowej (Poland).

I joined the EPI department at Louis Dreyfus Armateurs last November as Marine Engineer. Since then, I have been technically supervising the construction of 3 new Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) for the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm.

2) What do you particularly like about your job?

The thing I appreciate the most about my job is the technical challenges I am led to face daily and the support I have from my colleagues. Moreover, we work with very demanding clients that push us towards innovative solutions. Each day is a new day.

I supervise technically the construction of our 3 CTVs (two of them hybrid) that are currently being built in Fontenay-le-Comte, France. This means I must deliver a vessel suitable to its mission.

I count with the support of more experienced colleagues who share openly their knowledge on both technical and operational matters. This helps decision making and providing a built to purpose boat I will be proud of once it is deployed offshore.

Overall, I feel that few other companies offer this much exposure to young engineers. This is the best part, especially for someone who is willing to make a difference and take responsibilities.

3) A propos de votre métier : auriez-vous une anecdote ou un fait marquant à partager ?

There is still a lot of seas to sail.

I am a junior engineer and I have been working for LDA for less than a year. Even though most of this time we have faced restrictions due to the Covid-19, I had the pleasure of going onboard our cable layer vessels (Ile d’Aix and Ile de Sein), attending the inauguration of the Wind of Hope in Saint-Nazaire and witnessing the activities in the shipyard.

I know there is still a lot yet to come in my journey at LDA. I am interested to see where the wind will take me next.

4) Quelle est votre devise ?

“Don’t give up the ship” – Captain Lawrence

Interview

Richard DEVOS, IT Project Manager – PlenR

1/ What has been your career path so far?

In my first life, I was an electrician, often involved with tasks that interested me little. Then I discovered computer science on a personal level and it was a revelation. I was doing fairly technical projects for leisure and gradually realized that it would be good to make a living out of it. After taking some adult training classes, I realized that going back to school was the best option. I went back with younger people than me and continued on to bachelor’s degree. About twenty years ago, I entered the wind power sector and the field is directly related to electricity and electromechanics. The circle was closed.

2/ Could you tell us more about your current role / your missions?

Being in a small structure, IT is understood in the broad sense. I am a developer first and foremost, but I had to train myself in system administration: servers, linux and application settings.

3/ What do you like the most in this job?

To see a result. I think there are many jobs where you don’t necessarily see the results of your labor, except through numbers or charts. Starting from an idea and the machine does what you imagined, automating or eliminating repetitive tasks, etc., I find it rewarding.

4/ Could you name 3 must-have qualities for this job?

Curiosity above all. IT is a field where developments have been rapid, if you do not want to discover new things you will be quickly overwhelmed. When I was very young, I already liked to dismantle the devices “to see how it works”. Usually, I don’t just find a solution on the internet that solves my problem without really knowing how. I need to understand. In my case, I would even go so far as to use the term passion. I was lucky enough to be able to make it my job. Versatility. This is obviously even more true in a small structure where the computer scientist is expected to know how to use almost everything that goes through a computer. Luckily, I have been expanding my area of ​​knowledge for a long time, such as computer graphics: I gave 3D lessons for 10 years in several schools, equipment and other topics. I’m not a specialist, I have a broad technical culture which is very useful to me. Autonomy out of necessity. Being the only computer scientist, I cannot ask my colleagues to look into my problem. I still use my network when I need help.

5/ Any anecdote or major fact you would like to share about your job?

When wishing to offer my services, I discovered a technical design office, then a pioneer in wind power, I immediately liked the spirit that animated them, their passion and even their activism. I immediately accepted to join this team, delighted to assist two experts, and to participate in a (r) evolution to come.

6/ Are you a land or sea person?

I am rather a land person. But until the age of 20, I had always lived a few hundred yards from the sea and finding myself in the army in eastern France, I missed the sea. This idea that all around me there was nothing but land was a strange feeling, as if the sea was not a limit but on the contrary an opening.

7/ What are your hobbies and interests?

Music, IT, old radio devices or any old device

Job Testimonial

Dorian ERNEST, Digital Communication Officer

1/ What has been your career path so far?

I graduated from a STI2D baccalaureate (Science and Technology of Industry and Sustainable Development) followed by a degree in BTS Electronics. I then moved on to a professional bachelor’s degree specializing in web design and I continued with a master’s degree in CEO & Digital Expertise at the EEMI on a work-study basis.

2/ Could you tell us more about your current role / your missions?

I am currently in charge of digital communication at LOUIS DREYFUS ARMATEURS Group. My job consists of supporting Sylvie VIRASACK, Head of the Communication Department, in various missions such as maintenance or redesign of some of the Group’s websites, communication on social media, internal communication and also creation of commercial documentation in particular (leaflets, powerpoint presentations, communication support…)

3/ What do you like the most in this job?

Every day is different and that’s what I like. I truly appreciate the wide variety of interesting projects and being able to call up on my versatile profile by trying to best meet these different missions.

4/ Could you name 3 must-have qualities for this job?

I think that in my job the main qualities are autonomy, ability to come up with new ideas and responsiveness.

5/ Any anecdote or major fact you would like to share about your job?

I quickly noticed that communication was at the heart of the LDA Group and from the very beginning, there was a lot to do and I’ve had to work on so many projects. However, this allowed me to catch up on the missions very quickly and to facilitate my integration into the Group. That’s a very positive point.

6/ Are you a land or sea person?

I am a land person! To be honest, I can suffer from seasickness. I admire my fellow seafarers for their courage and ability to stay on board for weeks or even months.

7/ What are your hobbies and interests?

I am a big fan of sports in general, although my favorite sports are football and basketball. I also like cinema, music and photography.

8/ What is your motto?

I don’t have any personal motto. I just try to give my best all the time.

Job Testimonial

Haidar HAMID – In-House Lawyer, Legal & Insurance Department

1/ What has been your career path so far?

After my studies in business law (Masters’ degree) I started my career in large corporations such as Air France-KLM and Bolloré Transports & Logistics, before moving to a smaller real estate company named JMP Expansion. I went back to the transportation industry, shipping this time, when I joined LDA.

2/ Could you tell us more about your current role / your missions?

I am a corporate lawyer specialising in corporate law. I take care of the day-to-day legal management of LDA’s subsidiaries, both in France and at an international level, from creation to dissolution. I am therefore involved in new partnership (joint venture) projects, writing documents such as partner agreements.

3/ What do you like the most in this job?

I like being involved in major projects, being able to help in their creation and bring them to fruition.

4/ Could you name 3 must-have qualities for this job?

Attention to detail, adaptability and teamwork.

5/ Any anecdote or major fact you would like to share about your job?

I joined the LDA group at the end of the first 2020 lockdown. The integration process went well, even though I have not yet been able to see the faces of all my co-workers at the head office because of the mask-wearing rules. I am eager to see this health crisis coming to an end!

6/ Are you a land or sea person?

I would say a land person. Unfortunately, I have not had an opportunity to live by the sea yet. I grew up in Toulouse and then Paris, but it has not prevented me from going on seaside trips, more particularly to the Brittany peninsula.

7/ What are your hobbies and interests?

I enjoy travelling, literature, auteur cinema and everything closely or remotely connected to discovery.

8/ What is your motto?

“Impose your luck, embrace your happiness and go toward your risks. By looking at you, they’ll get used to it.” René Char

Interview

Louey JEDER, Administrator and IT Security Project Manager – LDA

1) Could you summarise your career path and present your current position? If you have evolved within LDA, could you please specify it?

Passionate about IT, I decided to attend a school specialized in IT and offering work-study training course in 2018. I then applied to LDA, hope and perseverance were my two allies. I was hired as a systems and networks technician apprentice. I had the chance to evolve during my 4 years of apprenticeship and endorse the role of Network and Database Systems Administrators then IT Security Project Manager. I have carried out numerous missions on the Group’s ships: in Dunkerque, Calais, Singapore, Poland, on the Canary Islands, in Turkey … Louis Dreyfus Armateurs allowed me to acquire a lot of skills such as technical, linguistic and project management. Today, I have the pleasure of joining the group on a permanent contract as Administrator and IT Security Project Manager.

2) What do you particularly like about your job?

I was fortunate to be able to work in the IT support for users, which allowed me to have direct contact with the various collaborators. I was also sometimes among the first people to welcome newcomers and participate in their integration into the company. What I like most about this job is the vast scope of IT, the constant evolution of IT technologies and the maritime world, which is a field that I really liked for its greatness and diversity. Over the past few years, I have been able to participate in the development of several projects on board ships, in particular the implementation of the IT infrastructure of SOV, Wind Of Change, Wind of Hope ships and securing the systems of information on the entire fleet.

3) About your job: would you have an anecdote or an important fact to share?

Most of the time we operate remotely, but it’s really once you’re on board that you understand the needs and our responsibility within the company. I have, on several occasions, put on the work outfit, the helmet and the gloves, and been able to put myself in the same working conditions as the sailors while doing my job as a computer scientist. It is really a chance to be able to participate and especially to witness the various operations of the ships from the front row.

4) What is your motto ?

We all help steer the rudder !

Interview

Emma BELMAIN, Planning Coordinator – LDA

1) Could you summarise your career path and present your current position? If you have evolved within LDA, could you please specify it?

Former trilingual assistant manager, it is on LinkedIn that I discovered the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) group and its universe. The adventure began for me in September 2018  within the Louis Dreyfus Seaplane (LD Seaplane) team. I am responsible for planning the transportation of oversized sections of Airbus planes via barges, trucks as well as on our LDA ships. I also participate to the update of our quality documentary system.

2) What do you particularly like about your job?

No day is alike at LD Seaplane. Every day, you must manage emergencies and hazards in coping with the various traffic streams around the world, it’s very stimulating. Emergencies also mean new situations to adapt to – I feel like I’m learning every week. My job also allows me to be in daily contact with people from all over the world, each of whom performs completely different functions, I love it! Finally, what I particularly appreciate is my team, which is like a second family. We are very close and we support each other in our missions, always in a good mood.

3) About your job: would you have an anecdote or an important fact to share?

My job has allowed me to observe the handling of huge fuselage parts on trucks or ships. Some of them were impressive, you wouldn’t imagine parts of A380 or Beluga XL could fit on a trailer or a mafi (a type of harbor trailer)! I also visited various Airbus assembly plants and had the honor of boarding on a Beluga XL as well as an Antonov. These are great memories.

4) What is your motto ?

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

Interview

Bernardo FORTINI, Marine Engineer – LDA

1) Could you summarise your career path and present your current position? If you have evolved within LDA, could you please specify it?

From a young age I have been passionate about ships and the merchant navy. There was something unusual about the maritime industry I was meant to discover. In 2013 I joined the department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). In 2017, I was awarded a scolarship to pursue my studies in France on the same field.

I hold a double degree diploma on Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from ENSTA Bretagne and UFRJ.

Before joining LDA, I worked on the assessment of seaworthiness of offshore O&G platforms at SBM Offshore (Monaco) and with Dynamic Positioning systems at Centrum Techniki Okrętowej (Poland).

I joined the EPI department at Louis Dreyfus Armateurs last November as Marine Engineer. Since then, I have been technically supervising the construction of 3 new Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) for the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm.

2) What do you particularly like about your job?

The thing I appreciate the most about my job is the technical challenges I am led to face daily and the support I have from my colleagues. Moreover, we work with very demanding clients that push us towards innovative solutions. Each day is a new day.

I supervise technically the construction of our 3 CTVs (two of them hybrid) that are currently being built in Fontenay-le-Comte, France. This means I must deliver a vessel suitable to its mission.

I count with the support of more experienced colleagues who share openly their knowledge on both technical and operational matters. This helps decision making and providing a built to purpose boat I will be proud of once it is deployed offshore.

Overall, I feel that few other companies offer this much exposure to young engineers. This is the best part, especially for someone who is willing to make a difference and take responsibilities.

3) A propos de votre métier : auriez-vous une anecdote ou un fait marquant à partager ?

There is still a lot of seas to sail.

I am a junior engineer and I have been working for LDA for less than a year. Even though most of this time we have faced restrictions due to the Covid-19, I had the pleasure of going onboard our cable layer vessels (Ile d’Aix and Ile de Sein), attending the inauguration of the Wind of Hope in Saint-Nazaire and witnessing the activities in the shipyard.

I know there is still a lot yet to come in my journey at LDA. I am interested to see where the wind will take me next.

4) Quelle est votre devise ?

“Don’t give up the ship” – Captain Lawrence

Interview

Richard DEVOS, IT Project Manager – PlenR

1/ What has been your career path so far?

In my first life, I was an electrician, often involved with tasks that interested me little. Then I discovered computer science on a personal level and it was a revelation. I was doing fairly technical projects for leisure and gradually realized that it would be good to make a living out of it. After taking some adult training classes, I realized that going back to school was the best option. I went back with younger people than me and continued on to bachelor’s degree. About twenty years ago, I entered the wind power sector and the field is directly related to electricity and electromechanics. The circle was closed.

2/ Could you tell us more about your current role / your missions?

Being in a small structure, IT is understood in the broad sense. I am a developer first and foremost, but I had to train myself in system administration: servers, linux and application settings.

3/ What do you like the most in this job?

To see a result. I think there are many jobs where you don’t necessarily see the results of your labor, except through numbers or charts. Starting from an idea and the machine does what you imagined, automating or eliminating repetitive tasks, etc., I find it rewarding.

4/ Could you name 3 must-have qualities for this job?

Curiosity above all. IT is a field where developments have been rapid, if you do not want to discover new things you will be quickly overwhelmed. When I was very young, I already liked to dismantle the devices “to see how it works”. Usually, I don’t just find a solution on the internet that solves my problem without really knowing how. I need to understand. In my case, I would even go so far as to use the term passion. I was lucky enough to be able to make it my job. Versatility. This is obviously even more true in a small structure where the computer scientist is expected to know how to use almost everything that goes through a computer. Luckily, I have been expanding my area of ​​knowledge for a long time, such as computer graphics: I gave 3D lessons for 10 years in several schools, equipment and other topics. I’m not a specialist, I have a broad technical culture which is very useful to me. Autonomy out of necessity. Being the only computer scientist, I cannot ask my colleagues to look into my problem. I still use my network when I need help.

5/ Any anecdote or major fact you would like to share about your job?

When wishing to offer my services, I discovered a technical design office, then a pioneer in wind power, I immediately liked the spirit that animated them, their passion and even their activism. I immediately accepted to join this team, delighted to assist two experts, and to participate in a (r) evolution to come.

6/ Are you a land or sea person?

I am rather a land person. But until the age of 20, I had always lived a few hundred yards from the sea and finding myself in the army in eastern France, I missed the sea. This idea that all around me there was nothing but land was a strange feeling, as if the sea was not a limit but on the contrary an opening.

7/ What are your hobbies and interests?

Music, IT, old radio devices or any old device

Job Testimonial

Dorian ERNEST, Digital Communication Officer

1/ What has been your career path so far?

I graduated from a STI2D baccalaureate (Science and Technology of Industry and Sustainable Development) followed by a degree in BTS Electronics. I then moved on to a professional bachelor’s degree specializing in web design and I continued with a master’s degree in CEO & Digital Expertise at the EEMI on a work-study basis.

2/ Could you tell us more about your current role / your missions?

I am currently in charge of digital communication at LOUIS DREYFUS ARMATEURS Group. My job consists of supporting Sylvie VIRASACK, Head of the Communication Department, in various missions such as maintenance or redesign of some of the Group’s websites, communication on social media, internal communication and also creation of commercial documentation in particular (leaflets, powerpoint presentations, communication support…)

3/ What do you like the most in this job?

Every day is different and that’s what I like. I truly appreciate the wide variety of interesting projects and being able to call up on my versatile profile by trying to best meet these different missions.

4/ Could you name 3 must-have qualities for this job?

I think that in my job the main qualities are autonomy, ability to come up with new ideas and responsiveness.

5/ Any anecdote or major fact you would like to share about your job?

I quickly noticed that communication was at the heart of the LDA Group and from the very beginning, there was a lot to do and I’ve had to work on so many projects. However, this allowed me to catch up on the missions very quickly and to facilitate my integration into the Group. That’s a very positive point.

6/ Are you a land or sea person?

I am a land person! To be honest, I can suffer from seasickness. I admire my fellow seafarers for their courage and ability to stay on board for weeks or even months.

7/ What are your hobbies and interests?

I am a big fan of sports in general, although my favorite sports are football and basketball. I also like cinema, music and photography.

8/ What is your motto?

I don’t have any personal motto. I just try to give my best all the time.

Job Testimonial

Haidar HAMID – In-House Lawyer, Legal & Insurance Department

1/ What has been your career path so far?

After my studies in business law (Masters’ degree) I started my career in large corporations such as Air France-KLM and Bolloré Transports & Logistics, before moving to a smaller real estate company named JMP Expansion. I went back to the transportation industry, shipping this time, when I joined LDA.

2/ Could you tell us more about your current role / your missions?

I am a corporate lawyer specialising in corporate law. I take care of the day-to-day legal management of LDA’s subsidiaries, both in France and at an international level, from creation to dissolution. I am therefore involved in new partnership (joint venture) projects, writing documents such as partner agreements.

3/ What do you like the most in this job?

I like being involved in major projects, being able to help in their creation and bring them to fruition.

4/ Could you name 3 must-have qualities for this job?

Attention to detail, adaptability and teamwork.

5/ Any anecdote or major fact you would like to share about your job?

I joined the LDA group at the end of the first 2020 lockdown. The integration process went well, even though I have not yet been able to see the faces of all my co-workers at the head office because of the mask-wearing rules. I am eager to see this health crisis coming to an end!

6/ Are you a land or sea person?

I would say a land person. Unfortunately, I have not had an opportunity to live by the sea yet. I grew up in Toulouse and then Paris, but it has not prevented me from going on seaside trips, more particularly to the Brittany peninsula.

7/ What are your hobbies and interests?

I enjoy travelling, literature, auteur cinema and everything closely or remotely connected to discovery.

8/ What is your motto?

“Impose your luck, embrace your happiness and go toward your risks. By looking at you, they’ll get used to it.” René Char