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Jacques Ferte
Jacques Ferte
Entrepreneurship: New Business Ventures

Entrepreneurship: New Business Ventures: Preparing for a New Challenge

Jacques Ferté

Co-founder of Gallia Brewery

I saw the programme as a way for me to really test out the viability of my new project, while at the same time build confidence in my entrepreneurial ability. I’m pleased to say that I managed to achieve both objectives.

Jacques Ferté, co-founder of Gallia Brewery is the man behind the revival of one of Paris’ oldest beer brands – Gallia Paris beer, which was first sold from 1890 to 1969.

For over a decade, starting from 2010, Jacques was instrumental in bringing the iconic Parisian beer back to life, and pushing it to new heights, before successfully selling the brand off to Heineken in 2021 to start on a new entrepreneurial project.

As part of his transition into his new, as yet undisclosed venture, Jacques felt that he needed to first take stock of all the experiences that he had gained while working at Gallia Brewery.

“After my previous entrepreneurial experience, I wanted to see what were the good things that I could take away from Gallia, while at the same time also make sure that I wouldn’t repeat some of the past mistakes.”

Jacques thus decided to enrol into INSEAD’s Entrepreneurship: New Business Ventures (EBV) programme, where he hoped to validate some of the learnings from his past entrepreneurship journey, as well as pick up new skills to place him in a more advantageous position for his new venture.

“I saw the programme as a way for me to really test out the viability of my new project, while at the same time build confidence in my entrepreneurial ability. I’m pleased to say that I managed to achieve both objectives.”

Comprehensive Inputs for Every Step of the Journey
Among the highlights of the programme for Jacques was the depth of learning that he experienced during the one-week programme.

“In that time, we went through all the topics that an entrepreneur will face at every step of a new venture. The syllabus was so well thought out and organised, and the teachers really handled the material very well.”

In addition to the comprehensive content, Jacques also appreciated how the syllabus relied strongly upon real-world examples.

“I especially enjoyed the sessions by the various guest speakers as well as the business cases that we were able to discuss as a class.”

Ready to Launch
For Jacques, the benefits of INSEAD’s EBV programme goes beyond the knowledge download and extends towards expanding and influencing his business perspectives and philosophy.

“The programme has provided me with a much broader vision for my new company. This was shaped not only by the learnings, but also in interacting and being exposed to the viewpoints of the diverse group of participants, several of whom were entrepreneurs.

There was so much that I took away from the programme, though if I had to choose one thing to take away, it would be that: for new business ventures to succeed, you really require perseverance and a positive attitude in overcoming difficulties.”