#8 - Rami Baitieh - CEO of Morrisons/Ex CEO of Carrefour France

In this podcast, we are privileged to welcome Rami Baitieh, former CEO of Carrefour France, who shares with us his unique perspectives on talent management and corporate leadership.

Rami started an internship at Carrefour where he was spotted for creating an algorithm that made it possible to automate orders and stocks. He then had a long international career with the group. First in Poland, then in Turkey, in Romania and then in the direction of Taiwan, then Argentina and Spain. Finally, he became CEO of France and member of the board in 2020. At the same time, he is a reservist-colonel in the Air Force.

Known for his innovative and human-centered vision, Rami Baitieh's approach to human resources management is essential in today's business world.

This in-depth discussion provides HR professionals with valuable insights into the importance of caring, equity, and continuing education in talent development.

Plan of the episode

00' - Introduction

05'09 - The pillars of employee satisfaction

06'43 - Rami's original approach to relationships with his employees

09'03 - The secret to making fewer mistakes as a manager

12'07 - How to create a culture of creativity and kindness

14'02 - The 5/5/5 technique

15'56 - Aligning human and business goals

18'03 - The team training approach

20'52 - Adapting to new generations

24'39 - Strategy and ambiguity

29'06 - The habit that makes the difference for him

Part 1: Rami Baitieh's Journey

Rami Baitieh, formerly CEO of Carrefour France, started his career with an internship, illustrating remarkable progress. He shares, “Each stage at Carrefour has been a learning opportunity.” This rise reflects a vision of leadership based on experience and empathy, emphasizing the importance of individual understanding in talent management.

Part 2: Caring and Fairness in Business

Rami Baitieh highlights, “Caring and fairness are not only values, they are at the heart of our culture.” He highlights the importance of respect and recognition, and how this promotes a motivating and inclusive work environment.

Part 3: Continuing education and inclusive management

“Training is essential for professional development”, says the guest. He discusses the importance of continuing education, and how an inclusive management approach, based on active listening and communication, strengthens collaboration.

Key Points to Remember

Humanist vision of leadership : Rami Baitieh highlights the importance of a human-centered approach to talent management, which is essential for HR professionals who want to develop a positive corporate culture.

Benevolence and Fairness : The implementation of caring and equitable policies, as practised at Carrefour, is crucial to improving employee engagement and loyalty.

Importance of Continuing Education : the guest emphasizes that continuing education is a driver of growth and professional development, a key aspect for HR in the development of employee skills.

Rami Baitieh's advice

• Interacting with employees at all levels of the organization increases the understanding of operational reality. By establishing a connection and promoting permanent communication with employees, you get the data you need to make good decisions. This proximity has two major advantages: strengthening team commitment and improving the quality of managerial decisions.
• Promote exchanges and collective thinking within your team. Brainstorming sessions mobilize the combined power of brains and skills. Organize meetings where everyone can contribute and think together. The sum of collective skills and ideas is much more valuable than a single exceptional individual skill. You need your team, and the team needs you too.

The quotes from the episode

• “I think that a happy employee makes a happy customer and a happy customer makes the shareholder happy.”
• “I think that the CEO, at his post, from where he is, where she is, you can't know more than 5% of the reality.”
• “Bosses who are close to the base rarely make mistakes, which saves time, because if you rush, you can make mistakes.”

Conclusion

Rami Baitieh's intervention offers valuable lessons for HR professionals. His human-centered vision, caring, equity and continuing education at Carrefour are concrete examples of effective talent management strategies. These elements contribute not only to the well-being of employees but also to the overall performance of the company.

To go further, it would be interesting to look at the challenges associated with the implementation of such practices in different organizational contexts. How can HR professionals adapt these principles to businesses of various sizes and sectors? This question paves the way for further exploration of the nuances and specific challenges in applying these talent management strategies.

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