A graduate of Ecole Normale Supérieure (France) with a degree in geography, Hakim El Karoui’s career spans the public and private sector. His roles have ranged from positions in the French government to investment banking, as well as in think tanks, strategy consulting, and societal engagements.
Hakim’s initiatives are rooted in the interconnectedness of disciplines, interests and people. He is an advocate of social and cultural diversity, believing that what seemingly divides people and cultures can be transformed into opportunities for deeper collaboration.
After teaching at University of Lyon II, Hakim served as an advisor to Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin from 2002 to 2005, and to Minister of Economy and Finance Thierry Breton from 2005 to 2006. He then joined Rothschild & Cie as Deputy Director and then Director in charge of Africa and the Middle East.
Hakim El Karoui has authored four books and numerous reports, including as an associate expert at Institut Montaigne. His writings cover topics such as Islam, France's Arab policy, the robotization of the economy, and the future of European construction.
He is also a columnist for L’Opinion, a French newspaper, and frequently discusses the current state of French affairs, social integration, Islam, immigration, and the stakes of the upcoming presidential elections in France.
In 2011, he joined Roland Berger as a Partner, advising the French government and expanding the firm's business in Africa. Later, he led Brunswick's Paris office, specializing in government and corporate communications.
In 2016 Hakim founded Volentia, a strategy consulting firm at the crossroads of business, geopolitics and public affairs.
Committed to societal engagement, he has launched several initiatives, including the Club XXIe siècle, where he serves as the founding Chairman. The Club promotes cultural diversity and aims to counter the far-right’s politization of discourse, fostering solidarity and commitment amidst growing social, cultural, and territorial divides.
Currently, Hakim is launching the Action Committee for the Mediterranean to tackle challenges such as demographics, business opportunities, and climate. This initiative seeks to leverage the complementarities of both sides of the Mediterranean, enhancing their cooperation through the private and public sectors, at a time when the Mediterranean is increasingly seen as a border rather than an interface.
Another significant project is about devising a viable and mutually acceptable solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict. His opinions on that issue are closely followed within French political circles.
Hakim was introduced to us by Convisero's Leo Stern, one of his team at Volentia. It immediately became apparent there were important convergences of interests, and a strong sense of his intelligence and decency. Pleased he will educate me, our community, and my students.