Marie-Victoire Rozé: Ode to the long game

As an opener, what words or expressions would you use to describe your career and your personality?
Three words come to mind.
The first is resilience. Private equity is a long-term and demanding business; it takes stamina to go the distance. You need endurance and a fighting spirit to navigate the various stages of a career, as well as the ability to take stock in order to constantly make progress, and bounce back from more complicated situations.
Closely tied to resilience is patience. In the private equity business we are focused on a relatively long-term horizon rather than immediacy which, in a way, is a luxury. For example, originating our transactions can take several years, and this inevitably requires some patience. I think patience is also key in a career. Ambition is an excellent driver and without a doubt absolutely necessary in our industry. But you also need to accept that some things — like being promoted, for instance — can take time.  
Lastly, being a good listener which, I believe, is essential for the quality of the relationships you build in both a personal and professional capacity. Our business is first and foremost about human contact, which is why for me it is absolutely vital to listen to our clients, counterparties, teams, management, as well as the portfolio managers we work with.

Building on that, what or who inspires you?
In our business, I am inspired by collective success through teamwork, but also by seeing our young talents grow, take on more responsibility and regularly achieve success.
I am also very attuned to the question of “who” inspires me. I am inspired by so many people in my life, and it’s always hard to list everyone.
Nevertheless, I can say that my close family members — my parents and my husband — are a huge source of inspiration through their journeys and experiences.
Professionally speaking, our CEO and founder , Dominique Senequier, is of course a role model for many people. Her outstanding career, the global group she has built, and her entrepreneurial spirit, energy, and leadership are all very inspiring.

What is the biggest problem facing the women of your generation? 
At the risk of stating the obvious, one of the daily challenges — rather than a problem — is maintaining a work-life balance. And this is not just for women: I think it's just as much as a challenge for men, who want the same balance.
Managing both your professional life and personal life takes a lot of hard work and sacrifices, and more importantly being organised. That said, I don’t think it's realistic to succeed everywhere all the time. We have to accept that some things need to be done in their own time.
I have noticed that this issue is particularly relevant to younger generations — more so than it is to mine. It’s important to adapt to their needs and this underlying trend. 

What advice would you give to young people thinking about their future career?
I would say that a career in private equity offers very exciting opportunities, but is also very demanding. Naturally, you need a solid academic background, but a very strong work ethic as well. I believe very strongly in this value. 
Resilience and endurance are key in this profession, for we are playing the “long game”.
Another fundamental point, which applies to many other sectors as well, is teamwork. Success is very rarely an individual effort and almost always collective. 
Lastly, I would advise young students or analysts starting their careers to build and grow their network as early as possible. And not only online through social networks by accumulating connections, but through regular meetings to establish a long-term relationship based on trust. This is the key to accessing information, investment or collaboration opportunities. The idea is that you grow with your network over the years. You are never too young to start developing your connections.