A 21-year-old leading a team of over 80 students with just 9 months to build a race car, fit for international competitions, from scratch. Jade Gibouin is the CEO of the EPFL Racing Team, a student organisation at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) competing against other Swiss and international teams in Formula Student competitions worldwide. We had the chance to speak to her about her journey to becoming the CEO of the racing team, her strategies to unite studies, engineering, and management, her impact in the male-dominated fields of engineering and motorsports, as well as her way to tackle financial challenges.
Hi Jade! Could you share a bit about yourself? What sparked your interest in studying at EPFL, and what led you to your current role as CEO of the EPFL racing team?
Hello, my name is Jade and I’m 21. I’m currently the CEO of the EPFL Racing Team and I’m studying mechanical engineering at EPFL. I left Paris to come study in Lausanne on an impulse, but I do not regret it. Studies at EPFL are very theoretical, so I wanted to gain more practical experience. That’s why I wanted to join a MAKE Project. I also got very interested in Formula One at the time, so EPFL Racing Team seemed like the right choice. I joined the team in 2021 as CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and COO (Chief Operations Officer) then in 2022 I joined the Chassis Division while staying CFO because I wanted to experience a technical division. Last September I had the opportunity to become CEO of the team!
Leading a team that encompasses both technical experts and management requires a unique skill set – especially when everyone is simultaneously studying full-time at EPFL. What strategies have you found effective for balancing these diverse needs and individual priorities?
Balancing the EPFL Racing Team and full-time studies is indeed quite challenging. It’s important to motivate team members with a good atmosphere and to listen to them. It’s much more than an association, we’re all volunteers and when people feel integrated and involved, naturally they’re going to spend a lot of time with the racing team.
We’re passionate about what we do, we don’t count the hours, and we spend a lot of time with team members, some of whom become friends. You have to be flexible and know how to manage your time well because everyone has a role to play, and if someone doesn’t get involved enough, the whole project could be jeopardised, as we only have 9 months to develop and build the car. So, it’s important to set objectives early in the year and not lose sight of them with regular meetings between each division but also meetings with the whole team so that everyone is aware of what’s going on in the other divisions. Each member has a crucial role and responsibility, but there’s also a lot of mutual support and we learn from each other.
The leading teams of student organisations like the EPFL racing team change every year, which is a nice opportunity for each new team to bring in their vision! What fresh perspective did you bring to the project and how did they impact the team and your work with external stakeholders?
This year, I’ve tried to focus on how people feel as part of the team. After all, we work as part of the team in addition to our studies, so fulfilment is important. For example, we set up 10-minute individual interviews with each member, as well as a code of conduct. I was also keen to continue promoting science to girls aged 10 to 15 throughout Switzerland.
We did more events to go directly to people who would be potential sponsors, as it’s often not very clear what we do and we’re quickly reduced to just a racing car rather than all the experience behind it, as well as the technical and non-technical skills we develop. So, it was important for me to go and meet the people and public.
According to the EPFL gender monitoring report of 2023-2024 the share of women amongst students is still quite low at roughly 30%. Does this also affect the racing team? How do you approach the challenge of increasing female participation in the EPFL racing team?
Yes, the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields does affect our team. In 2022, we were ten women with four of them in technical divisions.
Last year we were only nine women in technical divisions and this year we are very glad to have around twenty women in the team. This growth can be partly explained by the presence of three female team leaders: their engagement in the team inspires other women to join and helps them better identify with the team. We try to have an inclusive environment since this is a matter that is quite important to us.
As a female leader in such male-dominated fields you serve as a great role model to girls interested in engineering and motorsports. Do you participate in any initiatives to leverage that? Could you share a rewarding moment where you felt like an ambassador to the next generation of women in STEM?
As I said before, we want to promote these engineering fields to the next generation of girls. We participate in workshops of the Girls Coding Club, which is a project initiated in 2018 by EPFL. Their long-term goal is increasing the number of women active in the fields of information and communication technology (ICT) and engineering. I would not say that I have played a role model to them but during the couple of Coding club workshops that I have led it is always cool to see some girls’ faces light up when they see what we can do or to exchange with them when they ask questions about how to engage in these studies.
Building a race car from scratch every year and taking it to international competitions must be expensive, right? What strategies have worked the best for you to get the funding you need and to distribute it efficiently within the different divisions?
Securing funding is indeed a significant challenge. We have developed long relationships with industry partners and sponsors who share our passion for innovation, sustainability and excellence. We try to listen to them and respond to their needs as much as we can, so that the partnership is a win-win situation for both sides. This year we tried to promote the team by doing more events for example the Sustainability Fair in Basel or the International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, which allowed us to meet many people and make contacts but also to promote our crowdfunding: In exchange for a donation, and depending on the package chosen, we offer the name on the car, etc.
At the beginning of the year, our CTO allocates a budget according to the objectives set by each division, and each division must respect it, follow up and produce and design its parts according to the budget allocated and discussed beforehand.
Within the team, we try to prioritise transparency and careful budgeting to ensure funds are distributed efficiently and all divisions have the resources they need to succeed.
By competing in Formula Student, you come into close contact with leaders in the automotive industry. Is this an industry where you aspire to be in the future, for example as part of a Formula 1 team?
Absolutely, the automotive industry, particularly in motorsports, is an area I’m very interested in. The innovation, teamwork, and high-performance environment are incredibly appealing. I aspire to work in a management role where I can contribute to cutting-edge technologies and push the boundaries of what’s possible, whether that’s in Formula 1 or another sector.
Also, it is very inspiring to see more women get involved and recognized in this field.
To end our interviews, we always ask a question related to money. So let me ask you this: What does wealth mean to you, personally?
It will sound cliché but to me, wealth is having enough financial resources to ensure a stable and secure future. But it is not only about financial success. It is also having a fulfilling career, surrounding myself with supportive and inspiring people, having a meaningful contribution to society, a sense of purpose, and happiness in all aspects of life.
Thank you, Jade, for sharing your inspiring journey and insights with us. It’s clear that with your passion and leadership, you have a bright future ahead. We wish you and the EPFL Racing Team continued success on the track and in all your future endeavours!
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