our Mission
Soft Power Group is a consulting firm which specializes in training leaders in public speaking and other crucial soft skills. Happy are those who know who to speak, for they will inherit the earth. SPG stands out by focusing on oratory and public speaking. We boost the leadership potential of customers ranging from talented young people to senior business or political leaders wishing to upgrade their skills or achieve top-level positions (CEO, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, ministries, etc.).
TRAINING LEADERS IN PUBLIC SPEAKING AND DEVELOPING SOFT SKILLS
SPG has access to a strong network, both in France and overseas. We don’t just adviseour clients – instead we actively work with them to help them identify and develop their full leadership potential.
We stay abreast of societal and ethical changes and help companies and institutions to adjust to these changes. (e.g. adapting to the advent of new technologies, the growing role of women in senior positions and in previously male-dominated professions, etc.)
OUR
ADDED
VALUE
OUR
ADDED VALUE
OUR CEO
Experienced professional and coach
A former advisor at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a teacher at Sciences Po Paris for 6 years, Romain Decharne has trained many top business leaders and politicians from all over the world (Canada, United Kingdom, Lebanon, France, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal…), in public speaking in both French and English. Through the Soft Power Group, he seeks to make his wealth of expertise in the field available to the private sector.
A committed orator
Our CEO, managed, through hard work and determination, to overcome his shyness and fear of speaking in public to become French debating champion in both English and French, and the winner of many other international public speaking competitions. In 2012, he founded the Fédération Francophone de Débat (FFD) which is today the leading Francophone organization for public speaking. He is particularly involved with young people and works to promote social mobility through the mastery of speech.
OUR board
Director of Educational Innovation
Jules Zimmermann studied cognitive science at the Ecole Normale Supérieure. Today, he is developing a modern approach to creativity based on a balance between theory and practice. He works with businesses (e.g. thecamp, Crédit Agricole, LVMH, Hermes, EDF) and universities and colleges (e.g. La Sorbonne, HEC, ENS, Ecole 42, Chimie Paris-Tech). He also blogs at “Le Labo des Idées”.
Romain decharne
Formerly an educational coordinator and teacher at Sciences Po Paris and an advisor at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romain Decharne is convinced that speech is one of the determining factors of social mobility. He created the Fédération Francophone de Débat (French Debating Federation) to make public speaking accessible to more people and he has trained people from all backgrounds: from ministers to prison inmates as well as business leaders.
Sven Najem-Meyer
Director of Strategy Consulting
Sven Najem-Mayer graduated from the École Normale Supérieure and Assas University. He is passionate about public speaking, and, as vice-president of the Fédération Francophone de Débat (French Debating Federation) strives to make it more widely accessible to people from all backgrounds. He specializes in the study of logical and argumentative thinking in a cognitive approach. He has been coaching people in the art of public speaking for several years.
Inès Bordet
Director of educational innovation
Inès Bordet est diplômée de Sciences Po Paris. Première femme à avoir fondé et dirigé un club d’art oratoire, elle a géré le club de l’IEP depuis ses 17 ans. Cette passionnée est aussi une grande compétitrice et devient notamment Championne du Monde d’art oratoire en 2015. Elle est la benjamine du jury du Prix de la Femme d’Influence décerné par le club Génération Femmes d’Influence de Patricia Chapelotte. Chez Soft power Group, elle dirige l’innovation pédagogique.
Romain decharne
CEO
Formerly an educational coordinator and teacher at Sciences Po Paris and an advisor at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romain Decharne is convinced that speech is one of the determining factors of social mobility. He created the Fédération Francophone de Débat (French Debating Federation) to make public speaking accessible to more people and he has trained people from all backgrounds: from ministers to prison inmates as well as business leaders.
Sven Najem-Meyer
Director of Strategy Consulting
Sven Najem-Mayer graduated from the École Normale Supérieure and Assas University. He is passionate about public speaking, and, as vice-president of the Fédération Francophone de Débat (French Debating Federation) strives to make it more widely accessible to people from all backgrounds. He specializes in the study of logical and argumentative thinking in a cognitive approach. He has been coaching people in the art of public speaking for several years.
OUR TEAMS OF EXPERTS
SPG brings together teams of experts from all fields. Our firm makes extensive use of the Open Talent Network: we use a large community of high level professionals, which we call upon according to our clients’ specific needs. The Open Talent Network consists of senior barristers, comedians, actors, diplomats, chief executives, journalists, cognitive science specialists etc. which bring fresh insight to SPG and constitute one of its unique selling points.
our values
Ethics:
a promise of excellence for our customers
We are committed to providing an excellent level of service to our customers. We adhere to strict ethical rules, both in our professional relations and in the internal management of our group, and as such have established company wide charter of ethics.
Equality and social mobility
Since we attach great importance to the principle of equality and meritocracy we are committed to ensuring that talented people from different backgrounds and cultures can flourish within our team. Personally, and through the FFD, Romain Decharne has always been involved with young people from so-called deprived neighborhoods, with whom he runs free public speaking courses. Through its members, SPG remains committed to these ideals.
Female Empowerment
Gender equality is a core value of our group. We seek to encourage women to speak out in public, affirm their choices, and to access senior positions both internally within our company, and externally in the world of business and politics through our courses in female leadership in public speaking.
Find out more about our unique value