Catherine Chouard is an explorer of Life and the Living.
She immerses herself, and deeply engages, into different worlds – not belonging nor identifying to any one in particular.
She developed great flexibility, observation and active-listening skills through her numerous experiences. As a university graduate among engineers and business schools graduates, as a young woman in male-only environments and in senior Corporate Boards, as a collaborator from a modest background in the Luxury industry, she intends to go beyond background, education and social norms.
Her challenging professional career led her to enter Corporate Executive Committees while the school of hard knocks made her develop her perceptions, instinct and presence of mind.
On a quest to breathe a little more soul into the world, her many quirky travel experiences enriched her personal journey. Places where no words are needed, sometimes not even a look, to meet people soul to soul, through vibrations and body movements… a way to reach our core essence through silence and inner peace.
Originally a city-dweller, she realized that to reconnect with our inner nature involves a regular touch with Nature, as it invites us to slow down, remain silent, listen to ourselves, wonder and meet again with our inner child.
Catherine has developed values of integrity and coherence, as she only shares what she has lived and experienced for herself.
Her practice aims to cultivate trust in Life, in others, and in ourselves.
An economist, with a Master degree in Advanced Human Ressources Managment at the Paris IAE University School of Management, owner of an INSEAD (European Institute of Business Administration) certificate, Catherine Chouard joined the Employment Department in the French Ministery of Labour and Professional training. She then was employed at EDF-GDF (Electricity and Gas of France) in the Nuclear Power Research & Development Department, before transferring to the Personnel and Industrial Relations Department.
Early in her career, she was appointed Global Director of Human Resources of rapidly growing markets at large international groups such as DHL Worlwide Express, followed by GrandVision (GrandOptical – PhotoService retail company) and Elior (with 65,000 employees across 15 countries). In her two last roles, she created the Group HR function following stock market listings and contributed to doubling the size of the activities and workforce in five years during times of significant international expansion.
Youngest nominee and first woman to ever been awarded « HR Management of the Year » in 2004, she also has been a member of the French Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Commission (HALDE) from 2007 until 2011.
After 20 years of experience as an HR Manager in Global Corporate Executive Committees (DHL, GrandVision and Elior), Catherine Chouard founded in 2009 her own consulting business, guiding senior executives in their personal or professional development.
After participating in the French National Interprofessional negotiations on Diversity, she was appointed a member of the French Commission of Equal Opportunities & Anti Discriminations (HALDE).
Catherine Chouard is part of the Institute of Independent Financial Advisors (IFA). In June 2011, she joined the publicly traded Korian Group as an independent non-executive director after her appointment as an independent non-executive director of the Mulliez family, Kiabi Group.
From 2009 till 2017, she was the Founding President of “Sokasi Banten”, a non-profit organization supporting deprived craftswomen communities who produce offerings baskets in Bali. The goal is to help them attain self-sufficiency through the making and distribution of Balinese offerings baskets.
Catherine Chouard is a lecturer since 2005 at the University Paris-Dauphine for the Human Resources MBA.
She also is a member of the Management & Confidence Chair, which was co-created by the MAIF insurance company.
From 2016 till 2019, she has been appointed Senior Advisor to the Presidency of the University to introduce interpersonal and emotional skills known as « soft skills » in the curriculum. In this regard, she initiated, designed and directed the « Trajectoires » programme for students in the Organizational Sciences Bachelor programme. She reached over 3,500 students between the ages of 17 and 20.
She has been lecturing since 2009 at Paris II University for the Master’s Degree of Coaching & Personal Development in the Corporate Environment.
Catherine Chouard is passionate about anthropology and has always been interested in primitive societies ; particularly in their capacity to nurture the balance between nature, deities, ancestors and the community. This art of living is one of the unifying threads of her professional, voluntary and civic engagements.
Her quest for Universal Meaning goes beyond religions and specific cultures, as she seeks for sacred roots shared by all of Humanity. Her 35 years of travels and encounters awakened her to the consciousness of the laws of Nature and the Living.
After she resigned from her HR Director job in 2008, she visited Indonesia and she was touched by the Balinese culture of offerings. The symbol of the offering basket invites people to reflect on their ability to make a contribution and, through altruistic acts, improve life for everybody.
On her return home, she founded the non-profit organization “Sokasi Banten”. She also decided to set up her own business and to leave the Corporate world.
In order to spread the rich Balinese culture, she wrote the book “Bali, the offering island” with the spiritual guidance of I Made Yasa (book available on request).
She observes how the minerals, plants, animals and humans kingdoms complete each other in harmony.