Esker Leadership
We'd like to introduce you to the members of our managing board and other Esker leaders!
Executive Committee
Jean-Michel Bérard
Founder & President of the Esker group
Jean-Michel Bérard
Founder & President of the Esker groupJean-Michel Bérard founded Esker in 1985, shortly after earning his engineering degree from the Lyon Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA). As President of Esker's Board of Directors, Jean-Michel is responsible for defining and executing Esker's business strategy with the Board of Directors. He oversees the Asia-Pacific subsidiary to stay in direct contact with customers and prospects in the emerging markets. He also represents Esker to the financial community, IT analysts and the press. Jean-Michel was named the 2013 Engineer Entrepreneur of the Year by the weekly French news magazine l'Usine Nouvelle and Entrepreneur of the Year for the French Rhône-Alpes region in 2013 by EY. He was also named Entrepreneur of the Year for France in 2000 by EY.
FranceEmmanuel Olivier
Vice president of the Esker group+33 (0)4 72 83 46 46Emmanuel Olivier
Vice president of the Esker groupAs Worldwide Chief Operating Officer, Emmanuel Olivier leads Esker's operations worldwide, covering sales, marketing and consulting activities. He also supervises Esker's finances and is in charge of its financial communication and investor relations. Emmanuel joined Esker in 1999 as Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to his current role in 2003. Prior to joining Esker, he worked as an Audit Manager for Ernst & Young for seven years, including two years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). Emmanuel was awarded a Master's degree in Business Administration in 1991 from SKEMA Business School in Nice Sophia Antipolis, France, and earned a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) qualification from the state of Pennsylvania, USA.
Jean-Jacques Bérard
Vice President Research & DevelopmentJean-Jacques Bérard
Vice President Research & DevelopmentJean-Jacques Bérard is Vice President, Research and Development at Esker. In this role he implements product strategy and oversees product planning and development. Jean-Jacques joined Esker in 1995 as Project Leader for the SQL team and later moved to Research and Development (R&D) Manager in 1997. In 1998 he advanced to his current role. Prior to Esker, Jean-Jacques was R&D team Manager at Arthur Andersen Consulting in Lyon. Jean-Jacques received his engineering degree in 1988 from the Lyon Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, France.
Eric Bussy
Vice President Marketing & Product ManagementEric Bussy
Vice President Marketing & Product ManagementAs Worldwide Corporate Marketing and Product Management Director at Esker, Eric Bussy is responsible for the development of strategic products, services and solutions. Eric joined Esker in 2002 as Director of Marketing Communications, and in 2005, extended his responsibilities to include product management. Prior to Esker, Eric worked as Field Marketing Manager for two years at Seal's and Cdtel in France, and prior to that, spent three years as an international Product Manager working on projects for France Air and Melink Corporation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Eric received his Master's degree in Business Administration from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce IDRAC Lyon, France.
FranceClaire Valencony
Deputy Chief Operating OfficerClaire Valencony
Deputy Chief Operating OfficerAs Deputy COO, Claire Valencony is responsible for maintaining and driving operational results in all Esker subsidiaries (excluding USA and Canada). Prior to this position, Claire was Sr. Director, Global Strategic Alliances and successfully managed Esker’s worldwide partner strategy. From 2014-2018, Claire was in charge of business development and strategic alliances for Esker in North America. As Country Manager at Esker France from 2011-2014, Claire was responsible for all operations (sales, marketing and consulting services) in France, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Claire joined Esker in 2003 as Marketing Manager for France. Her responsibilities extended to include the management of Esker’s partner network and, in 2010, the small and medium business sales team. In 2011 she was appointed Country Manager. Prior to Esker, Claire was Marketing Manager for Logica CMG in the Business Process Outsourcing branch in London UK and, prior to that, Marketing Manager for Kremlin, Exel Industry Group, in Chicago, IL. Claire received her Master’s degree in Business Administration from EM Lyon, France. From 2015-2018, Claire was also a judge and mentor for the MassChallenge and MIT Sandbox programs in Boston, MA.
Ari Widlansky
Managing Director & U.S. Chief Operating OfficerAri Widlansky
Managing Director & U.S. Chief Operating OfficerAri Widlansky, Esker’s U.S. Managing Director & COO, is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in driving business growth and operational excellence. He joined Esker’s Board of Directors in 2023, bringing over 20 years of experience in direct sales, sales leadership, revenue growth and strategic alliance management in the SaaS technology sector. For the last 10 years, Ari's leadership has been pivotal in transforming organizations, optimizing processes, and spearheading innovative B2B strategies that deliver significant value in source-to-pay and order-to-cash processes. Ari received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and his master’s in business administration from Florida Atlantic University. His expertise continues to propel Esker to new heights, ensuring sustained success and competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Nicolas Mougin
WW Consulting & Support DirectorNicolas Mougin
WW Consulting & Support DirectorNicolas Mougin is the Worldwide Consulting and Support Director at Esker since 2020. He joined the company in 2007 as a Project Manager for the internal deployment of SAP. With the creation of the International Professional Services team serving Esker’s key strategic accounts in 2009, Nicolas took on the role of Engagement Manager. Before joining Esker, Nicolas was a Consultant for the SAP environment, working in a variety of roles including Developer, Functional Consultant and Project Manager at Atos, Sopra Steria and IBM. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Université de Bourgogne.
Dan Reeve
VP of Sales, Esker North AmericaDan Reeve
VP of Sales, Esker North AmericaAs Vice President of Sales North America, Dan Reeve is responsible for recruitment, training and direct sales for Esker, supporting a team of excellent Sales Managers. Having operated in this capacity for 10 years, he was previously a Sales Rep, successfully developing the American Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, and establishing Esker’s Denver office in 2017. Dan joined Esker in 1999, spending the first few years in Business Development for the Benelux and Scandinavian countries, building up channel and direct sales paths for those regions, then moving into large enterprise accounts while assisting in leading direct sales in the UK. After obtaining an Economic Development degree from the University of Derby, England in 1997, he completed a Courts Furnishers Graduate Managerial Program, which allowed Dan to discover his passion for Sales and the importance of great Customer Service. Dan is a veteran of the British Army and the Wisconsin National Guard and deployed to Iraq in 2003 as part of Operation Telic. He has actively promoted the hiring of veterans into various roles within the Sales team.
Associate Executive Committee
Pascal Bivert
European Sales DirectorPascal Bivert
European Sales DirectorAs European Sales Director, Pascal Bivert is responsible for the sales strategy and operations for all Esker subsidiaries in Europe (excluding France and Benelux). He has held this position since 2018. Pascal joined Esker in 2010 as Key Account Manager and was promoted to Sales Manager in 2014. Prior to Esker, he worked in Sales for Sony and Bouygues Telecom. Pascal received his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Grenoble Ecole de Management, France.
Nicolas Bragard
WW Chief Information OfficerNicolas Bragard
WW Chief Information OfficerAs Worldwide Chief Information Officer, Nicolas Bragard leads Esker's internal IT operations worldwide, covering IT infrastructure, cybersecurity and internal applications. Nicolas joined Esker in 2002. Prior to joining Esker, he worked as a Chief Technology Officer for ST Groupe, an IT services company headquartered in Paris, for 15 years. Nicolas received his engineering degree in Computer Science, Electronics and Electromechanical Technology in 1987 from the Ecole supérieure d'informatique électronique automatique, Paris, France.
Aurélie Guimera
WW Director of Human ResourcesAurélie Guimera
WW Director of Human ResourcesAs Esker's Worldwide Director of Human Resources, Aurélie Guimera oversees all HR plans and strategies to support Esker’s global business, while providing an excellent experience for employees. Aurélie joined Esker in 2011 as Recruitment Specialist. In 2019, Aurélie became HR Business Partner, with her responsibilities expanded to include Learning and Development matters and a variety of other HR projects. In 2020, Aurélie was appointed Deputy Director of Human Resources, and took over as Director of Human Resources in 2021. She assumed the responsibility for global HR in Europe and Asia Pacific. Prior to Esker, Aurélie worked as Deputy Manager at Ecole Supérieure de Commerce et d’Organisation (ESCO) Business School, and as HR Generalist for Lloyd’s Register. Aurélie received her Master's degree in Business Administration from ESCO in collaboration with the Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale.
Thomas Honegger
COO France/Benelux/SwitzerlandThomas Honegger
COO France/Benelux/SwitzerlandAs Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Esker France/Benelux/Switzerland since 2014, Thomas Honegger develops Esker’s sales, marketing and consulting activities for this region. His focus is to give strategic guidance and direction to ensure that Esker achieves its mission and objectives, thereby actively contributing to Esker’s growth and corporate strategy. Thomas joined Esker in 2005 as Key Account Manager and was then appointed Sales Director for Esker France, leading his team in supporting large businesses in their digital transformation. Working in collaboration across teams, Thomas drove commercial efforts on key initiatives, formulating and implementing strategic recommendations to result in effective account planning and sales execution. After graduating from the Business School of Toulouse (TBS), Thomas specialized in B2B transactions and large-scale SAP implementation projects.
Catherine Plasse
WW Chief Financial OfficerCatherine Plasse
WW Chief Financial OfficerAs Chief Financial Officer, Catherine Plasse manages and coordinates Esker’s Finance teams worldwide. This role involves overseeing the creation of accurate financial reporting while ensuring the preservation of company assets by minimizing risk, as well as developing Esker’s environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) approach and fortifying this mindset throughout the organization. Along with her 15 years of experience providing strategic input to executives and overseeing Finance functions at international companies in various industries, Plasse brings expansive knowledge to her role. In addition to other previous positions, she spent two years as Financial Analyst at GDF Suez, then as Financial Controller at Suez Group in Paris before moving to the U.S. to take on the role of CFO for SUEZ. Catherine holds three degrees in International Business Administration, from Northumbria University (BA), IAE France (master’s degree), the EDHEC Business School (BA), respectively, a Certification in Sustainable Transition Management from HEC Paris and in Principles of Sustainable Finance from Erasmus University of Rotterdam.
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