Our CEO, Sihem Souid, sat down for an interview with her team. The questions are asked by Anis and Lila, two staff members: answers with no sugar-coating.
Anis: Sihem, thank you for taking these questions. Edile Consulting has now existed for nearly 10 years. What was your project when you created it?
Sihem: First of all I wanted to connect people. That is something I have always done in the jobs I held and in my circle of friends. I have always had that ability to put the right people in touch… at the time, it was hard for me to imagine leaving the security of being a civil servant.
Encouraged by those close to me, I finally chose freedom over security. I have never regretted it.
Lila: Let’s talk about your clients, without going into details: we can say you don’t pick the easiest causes. Why?
S.: It’s true that my client base is sometimes held against me. I own that completely. I cannot stand people who lecture others. I believe every person, every nation, every company moves at its own pace. You cannot copy-paste a model from one country to another. We all have our ideal: try it in France — there are as many ideals as there are individuals.
For me the essential thing is to give everyone a chance to speak. An state’s progress on the economy, the environment or society can look insufficient from our point of view and still be giant steps where it is happening. I respect each history, each path.
France has more than a thousand years of history. It has known wars, revolutions, monarchies and empires before settling into this democracy we hold dear. Time is precious. I work with state structures so they can speak to our West, to our habits. That logic is hard for some to grasp, because our societies have lost the habit of listening without judging.
A.: And how do you choose your clients?
S.: At Edile Consulting we don’t prospect. Clients come to me. We are an unconventional firm: no offices in fashionable districts — that serves no purpose — no 150-slide PowerPoints; I see that as a huge waste of time. I work through results: our commitment is effectiveness.
When a potential client contacts me, I listen. I need to know their expectations, their ambition and what they want from me. I am also very frank: whoever the client is, I do not hesitate to push them, to share my point of view. Sometimes that displeases them, but it matters to me that people understand I am not servile. I don’t say “yes” just to agree. That is in their interest too. Take it or leave it.
If there is no chemistry, if the request feels out of reach, if I sense the person is vague or barely invested, I don’t take it. My time is precious and so is theirs. You have to be on the same wavelength to work fruitfully and intelligently.
L.: Everyone knows your unusual path and your commitments. When we visit your websites (edile-consulting.com and sihemsouid.fr) we see you with politicians of every stripe. Have you given up your commitments?
S.: I separate the professional from the personal; I think that is essential. Of course I have convictions and hopes for the future, but when I put on my CEO hat I talk to everyone. I cannot speak only to those I agree with; if I did that — between us — I would barely speak to anyone. Decision-makers and lawmakers are valuable transmission belts; we have to be able to address them. I demand that same professionalism from my teams. In a way, that is the job.
A.: Speaking of ideological differences, have your encounters personally shaken your beliefs?
S.: Yes. There are people with whom, on paper, it could never have worked, and who have nonetheless become friends. Human beings are complex, and it is a good thing we can find affinities without sharing every conviction.
L.: You are of Tunisian origin. What link do you keep with Tunisia?
S.: A very strong one that I keep alive. My children know Tunisia and go there regularly. That dual culture is a gift. I am French through and through, but I am also Tunisian. I speak the language, I love the culture, and living between two shores enriches me personally.
A.: On your Facebook page you regularly share your trips around the world. You’re a real globetrotter!
S.: The truth is that most of my travel is professional. I use those moments to grow culturally, but I only go if there is an interest for the firm. I meet leaders, counterparts, officials. You don’t need to sign a contract to have a conversation…
I like discovering other cultures, visiting important historic places, meeting people whose lives are a thousand miles from mine. It helps me understand the world we live in.
France is a beautiful country and I love living here, but the world is inspiring. Discovering it, meeting people, makes me better, I think.
L.: In 10 years, how do you imagine Edile Consulting?
I have no ambition to turn the firm into a multinational. I like the family-business side, where everyone knows each other well and works together smoothly. Challenges have been there from the start of this adventure; I try to rise to each new contract. I need proximity, trust, and a shared story: clients, partners, consultants — we are in the same boat.
Loyalty, faithfulness and effectiveness are the keywords of my work culture. I live this adventure day by day, with a team that carries me and that I carry. That relationship is essential to me. It is the basis of our success.
Thank you, Sihem, for this conversation!
