From entrepreneur to intrapreneur, Oriane Schoonbroodt is a powerhouse in the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) space. We sat down with Oriane to learn about her career path to date, what advice she has for entrepreneurs, and her insights on the importance of intrapreneurship in a large firm.
Growing up, Oriane was inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit amongst her family. Her mother was a florist designer, while her grandfather was managing a transport company in Chile.
Oriane describes herself as a “risk taker” – so it’s no surprise that she has also followed her family’s footsteps into the life of an entrepreneur. In 2017, Oriane co-founded Label R., a company specializing in ESG risk assessment & due diligence. Then, after selling her company, she decided to pivot into an in-house role as an ‘intrapreneur’ (an employee who operates like an entrepreneur within a company), working as a Director of Sustainability and Strategy at Strategy&, which is part of PwC.
Let’s talk about your career journey. You specialize in sustainable finance and ESG strategy – how did you get into this line of work?
I started off my career as a diplomat, working at the United Nations in New York and Geneva. In the human rights committee, we talked a lot about sustainability goals and the ethical issues that often happen in parallel.
From my perspective, I was concerned that companies could send a letter to “commit” to sustainability initiatives without needing to supply any evidence that they were following through on their commitment.
By recognizing the need for proper due diligence and assessment amongst the industry, this is what led me to start up my own company and what ultimately inspired me to become an expert in this field.
“Working in-house as an intrapreneur also means that you benefit from the firm’s resources, global frameworks, internal training, IT, and tools – to name a few.”
Oriane Schoonbroodt
As an entrepreneur, why did you decide to join a large firm?
I had recently sold my company, so I was in the midst of exploring my next career move. Shortly after, I saw a press release from PwC Global announcing they were investing US$12 billion in sustainability. I thought to myself, “maybe I should join this company”.
During the interview they explained, “While sustainability isn’t new to us, strategizing sustainability together with our clients to bring business and societal value is something we’d like to develop further. So, although you will be joining a large company, you will be able to develop our services as an intrapreneur”. This type of set up, of working as an entrepreneur in a large firm, really appealed to me.
What does a day in the life of a Director of Sustainability and Strategy at Strategy& look like?
When I joined, Strategy& was new in Luxembourg, so I had the privilege of joining a new team and developing our sustainability strategy services from the ground up.
A large part of my role is to provide thought leadership and C-suite strategy advice on sustainable finance and ESG strategy for clients in financial services, corporations, SMEs and the public sector across the PwC network.
At a higher level, it’s really important to link dots to what we’re doing at Strategy& to what our peers are doing within PwC. In my opinion, working collaboratively is the best way to make our teams and projects successful.
Tell me about the team behind Strategy&.
We’re a small but growing team. We’re currently on the lookout for talent, particularly in the sustainability space. Whilst candidates don’t need to have an entrepreneurial background, we do require people who have the right mindset – such as being adaptable, innovative, and flexible.
Is the Luxembourg market ready for a high-end advisory service, such as Strategy&? Why or why not?
For sustainability, yes. We have seen an influx of clients asking for this type of service. However, it did take time to reach this point. About two years ago, it was more about raising awareness, and now, it’s about advising our clients as they progress through their sustainability journey.
“I believe it’s important to be an entrepreneur first to be able to apply that mindset within a large company.”
Oriane Schoonbroodt
What are some advantages to intrapreneurship, vs entrepreneurship?
The biggest advantage is that you don’t take on the risk alone and you’re surrounded by experienced experts in their respective fields.
Working in-house as an intrapreneur also means that you benefit from the firm’s resources, global frameworks, internal training, IT, and tools – to name a few. We also can test our business model and services before scaling up.
In your opinion, what makes a good intrapreneur?
I believe it’s important to be an entrepreneur first to be able to apply that mindset within a large company. But ultimately, you have to have the capacity to adapt, be resilient, and be flexible in your approach.
Do you have any tips for entrepreneurs?
It’s essential to have people you trust around you – such as family, friends, and professional peers. When you are supported by strong people, it allows you to be able to take risks. I also believe in the importance of having a mentor to help guide you through the process. When you’re starting up a business, there are so many things you don’t think about, which is why it’s important for people with expertise to help navigate the challenges you’ll face during the entrepreneurship journey.
To learn more about Strategy&, visit their website here.
