Born in France, Audrey Daumain is a leading business transformation professional and an executive performance coach. With over 25 years of international experience in the financial sector, she has worked in numerous financial institutions in Geneva and London. Most recently, she held the position of Chief of Staff to the COO of Banque Edmond de Rothschild in Geneva, in charge of Management Change.
In addition to her distinguished position, Audrey holds numerous certifications in investment consulting, change management, and coaching. Audrey’s remarkable professional journey has led her to implement global employee engagement and communication strategies, in addition to effectively managing CHF multi-million transformation projects.
Through her journey of incredible succession of seized opportunities, painful failures, and a real passion for humankind, Audrey holds on to the most important lesson she has learned: “There is nothing we can’t do, nothing we can’t change”.
Describe some of your unique characteristics and what are the top 3 core values in your life?
People, clients, and friends describe me as courageous, ambitious, resourceful, fun, and creative with a strong sense of duty and integrity. It is key to have a set of core values to stand by. My top 3 core values are trust, gratitude, and authenticity.
What routine and core habits have you chosen to follow to set yourself up for success?
I believe that mornings are valuable because the way you start your day sets the tone for the whole day. To start my day, I enjoy practicing conscious breathing and taking a cold shower. Regardless of whether I am working from home or my office, I enjoy wearing makeup and dressing up.
With regard to my core habits, I insist on regularly reading sections of the books that are meaningful to me. In the evenings, we have taken the habit as a family to each share something we loved and something we didn’t like about our day. I explained to my daughters that identifying what makes us happy or what frustrates us from a young age is precious as it helps us to get to know ourselves better. It also helps us identify opportunities to do more of what is good and to deal with what bothers us in the best way.
Can you name 3 books that changed your life and what did you learn from them?
I would not say that there is one book that changed my life, but there are a few books that I would gift to others and that I use as a reference. These books include ‘The Poetry Pharmacy Forever’ by William Sieghart, ‘Humanocracy’ by Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini, ‘Conscious Leadership’ by John Mackey and Steve McIntosh, and ‘Everybody Matters’ by Bob Chapman and Rajendra Sisodia.
What strategies do you use to stay ahead of the curve in your industry?
An important strategy is to talk to a lot of people and to listen to them- to their stories and their journeys. It is very interesting to listen to others’ obstacles and achievements. In addition to that, I am also intrigued by new technologies – this is also part of being a Consultant in Data Strategy and Digital Transformation.
What distinguishes you from competition or other companies?
Distinguishing yourself and being memorably unique is valuable. Every offer I give is fully customized because I take great care of my clients. I take pride in listening to my client’s needs before speaking, which makes each one of them feel truly unique and appreciated.
How do you balance the pursuit of wealth and success with personal fulfillment and happiness?
I believe that it is interesting how we think we need to balance wealth and success as if they couldn’t sit on the same side of the scale. I don’t believe in the work-life balance principle because that would mean that work is not part of life. My profession is part of my life and by managing what I do in the best possible way I manage my health, well-being, and personal fulfillment.
What are the main factors that led you to where you are right now?
One of the main factors that have led me here is my passion for human interactions and relationships. Another factor is my extensive experience in ‘Change Management’ which consists of communication and conflict management. Lastly, I was also impacted by an incident that brought me close to death, and in that moment, I realized that we indeed only have one life and we must trust ourselves to make the right decisions.
Do you have any future goals or ventures?
After working for 20 years in the finance industry, I have recently opened a wonderful professional relationship with Audemars Piguet. This was a stride towards my ambitions, as it was a goal for me to diversify my sectors and enter the luxury watchmaking industry. I believe that this step is the beginning of a fabulous journey!
In light of your entrepreneurial journey and experiences, what message would you like to convey to aspiring entrepreneurs?
In this light, I have recently conveyed a few messages on LinkedIn to young entrepreneurs. Firstly, I would recommend them to do a real introspection on their motivations, their fears, and their triggers. An entrepreneur’s journey is above all a journey of self-discovery and reflection!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/audreydaumain/
BY Egli HAXHIRAJ, Anamaria MESHKURTI, Jonida GJUZI and Noor ALI.
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