An HEC graduate and Sciences Po alumnus, Iain has over 20 years' experience, including as CEO of Netquartz, a 100-strong company specializing in video game license protection. He has also helped many entrepreneurs turn their ideas into viable business models. Today, Iain divides his time between coaching entrepreneurs, training managers in various sectors and running his own businesses. As a coach and innovation expert, he helps entrepreneurs and managers adopt a new approach to management. 

Can you tell me more about your background? 

I began my career in financial analysis and export sales before becoming European Marketing Director for an American software publisher in Europe. I then founded several companies. After a number of management positions, I moved into innovation consulting and product creation, working with customers such as Air France, Leroy Merlin and Renault, as well as start-ups.  

With the arrival of Covid, I wanted to reinvent myself, and I'm currently developing a new start-up with my partner, which is developing an application to facilitate demand validation for new products from start-ups and product teams, so as to increase the proportion of products that find their market, while shortening the time to reach Product Market Fit.

What are your areas of expertise? 

My main areas of expertise are design thinking and the creation of innovative products. I regularly run workshops for customers such as Generali, Total and Valeo, sharing proven methods for structuring new product development. At the same time, I take on more personalized coaching missions to help teams turn their ideas into reality. 

I also work on management topics such as priority management, managerial posture and feedback, for companies like Marcel (Publicis) and La Belle-Iloise.  

How and why did you decide to work with NUMA? 

I chose to work with NUMA because their culture matches my own. I appreciate the innovative approach, the team dynamics and the way Numa applies effective modern management techniques to his teams and to the way he works with both clients and coaches.This collaboration enriches me personally and professionally. Working with their customers, who are often at the cutting edge of managerial practices, keeps me connected with new ways of thinking and innovating. NUMA's ability to encourage autonomy while avoiding common mistakes and providing real added value makes each collaboration stimulating and inspiring for me. 

How do you integrate your professional experience to engage participants? 

I use my professional experience in concrete ways to engage participants. In design thinking, for example, I focus on practical cases and examples drawn from my own experience, as theory can sometimes seem abstract and uninspiring. I illustrate each step of the process with real-life situations, such as how to approach an interview or structure an MVP, explaining what works and what doesn't in reality and why. My aim is to show how theory translates into practice, because there's often a gap between the two. 

I also share my own mistakes, lessons learned and progress made, which makes my interventions more human and engaging, as participants often recognize themselves in these experiences. Success rarely comes all at once: it's the product of experience and the way in which each of us challenges ourselves to improve. 

What's the key to successful training? 

The success of a training course depends above all on the interaction and active involvement of the participants. This starts with simple gestures, like turning on the camera to create a connection. I encourage every participant, even the most reserved, to speak up and exchange ideas in a balanced way. When they work in sub-groups, they often emerge from these sessions enthusiastic and with diverse perspectives. These exchanges feed into the group discussions and make the training dynamic and enriching.  

I like to push them out of their comfort zone and provoke discussion, shake them up a bit and see how they react. If they play along, ask pertinent questions and come up with thoughtful answers, then the training has achieved its objective. In the end, the best indicator of success is their feedback. If everyone feels that the course deserves more than a top mark, then the experiment has paid off. 

Can you share with us a technique or method you use regularly in your training courses? 

I rely on active interaction and use concrete examples from my own experience. I encourage each participant to express himself or herself, often by asking a question directly and continually rotating the floor, which creates a dynamic dialogue. I illustrate concepts with personal anecdotes and invite them to reflect on similar situations they may have encountered. 

Another technique I use is to compare the teams I've coached, without mentioning companies or names, but sharing the traits of the best-performing teams: transparency, curiosity, speed of execution, good communication, limited room for ego and constant consideration of the team's needs beyond their own. Participants often recognize themselves in these descriptions, which motivates them to improve and become more involved, not only during training, but above all in their professional environment. I like to see that a team that didn't know each other continues to meet regularly for peer coaching, with the creation of a monthly routine, for example.