Anthony Prod’homme, you have been Managing Director for EFINOR UK for almost a year. Can we talk about EFINOR’s success story in the UK?

For the moment, it is going well, and we chose the right options to position ourselves, but let’s wait at least two or three years to use these terms.

How was the transition to your new job?

Relatively long but smooth thanks to a good support from Thomas Thor and efficient communication. I think I can say both EFINOR and I are satisfied about the result.

How about the move?

Well it must be my twentieth move personally, so nothing new here, although my children are getting older and might be starting to be less accommodating! Let’s see!

You have been working in UK for more than seven years and in US for two years. What are for you the challenges of big projects involving different cultures?

As the representative of a very French company in the British market, I can see every day that cultural differences can create a disruption in our relationships with our partners and our clients. Globally it is one of the biggest challenges of a project like Hinkley Point C from EDF to the whole supply chain.

It does make it more complex to find the right people as well: when you have a group of expatriates outside of the UK, everybody speaks English as a second language in a foreign context, so there is a kind of balance. But when you are in the UK, the cultural differences between the environment and brought-in expats have a major influence and create an imbalance. That’s why I tend to favour people with a previous working experience in the UK and also British citizens with international experience.

But ultimately, I am a pragmatic optimist, so I think people can adapt to the ever-changing circumstances.

Thank you for speaking to us, we wish you and EFINOR UK the best!