Michel Quéré, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Winoa, shares his exceptional professional journey and his insights into the evolution of IT in the industrial sector. With a career marked by exciting challenges and notable successes, Michel offers his reflections on his job, which he describes as a true adventure. This article is based on an interview originally published in IT for Business, written by François Jeanne.
An Unconventional Path
Michel Quéré has always preferred the road less traveled. A graduate of ENSEEIHT, he specialized in management IT, a discipline that was not popular among his peers at the time. After completing his national service in the navy in Toulon, he began his career in Dunkirk at a Pechiney subsidiary, where he participated in building a new factory:
It was a passion project, the industrial project of the decade in France.
His journey then took him to Grenoble and Paris, where he joined Pechiney’s IT department before moving to Alcan in 2000.
There, he and his team won an award for implementing the ITIL method in France.
“It was very interesting to experience, with several career opportunities and very successful implementations in project management.”
International Challenges and Reorganizations
Alcan’s acquisition by Rio Tinto marked a new phase in Michel’s career. He managed a $40 million budget but felt limited in his position:
“Even though I had a $40 million budget to manage, I wasn’t in the right place to build my career.”
In 2016, he was affected by a restructuring plan and took this time to reconnect with the Rhône-Alpes region.
He quickly rebounded and became the CIO of Groupe Charles André, a mid-sized company with 10,000 employees. After the Covid episode, Michel joined Winoa in 2022, where he leads a team of 30 IT professionals and sits on the Executive Committee.
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He spearheads innovative projects, including the deployment of the ERP Infor M3, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence for demand planning.
The Role of the Modern CIO
For Michel, the role of the CIO has radically evolved:
“Yesterday a production job, it now involves digital communication with e-commerce, business strategy, and cybersecurity threats.”
He sees this transformation as an endless adventure, where each day brings new challenges and innovations.
Memorable Moments and Life Lessons
Michel fondly remembers his team at Alcan who adopted the ITIL method despite initial skepticism. He also recalls a memorable project at Rio Tinto, where he had to set up networks for an iron mine in Guinea, in the middle of the bush:
“Everything had to be done, including laying 600 km of rails and setting up infrastructures like containers for servers and telephone poles.”
To succeed as a CIO, Michel emphasizes the importance of maintaining a work-life balance:
“Because it’s a crazy job, it’s essential to preserve your balance and serenity. For me, this particularly involves practicing sports.”
Inspirations and Perspectives
A book that recently impacted Michel is “Latitude Zero” by Mike Horn, which tells the story of a world tour conducted without deviating more than a kilometer from the equator. “It’s an inspiration in terms of resilience.”
Conclusion
Michel Quéré perfectly embodies the modern CIO, capable of navigating between technical challenges and the strategic demands of the company. His career illustrates a journey rich in adventures and learning, always guided by a passion for innovation and resilience.
Michel Quéré’s Professional Journey
- Since 2022: Chief Information Officer at Winoa
- 2017-2022: CIO of Groupe Charles André
- 2009-2016: Head of European Infrastructure, then Director of European Applications and Global Network Manager at Rio Tinto
- 2003-2009: Head of Services, then Global Head of Operations at Alcan
- 2000-2003: Head of Engineering Department at Pechiney
- 1993-2000: CRM Project Manager, then IT Service Manager, then Application Manager at Aluminium Pechiney
- 1990-1993: Application Manager at Aluminium Dunkerque
Education
- Engineer graduated from ENSEEIHT (1989)
Volunteering
- Board Member of Adira (network of IT experts in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region) since 2023
Michel Quéré shows us that the job of a CIO, though complex, is above all a human and technological adventure, where every challenge is an opportunity for growth and discovery.
