Our Team

Denis has extensive experience in education, having taught across a range of educational settings in Sydney and various countries around the world.

He also brings to his current role the unique skillset he acquired during a rich career in business and commercial diving, as well as his enthusiasm for new technologies.

In Sydney, Denis has found the perfect setting to combine his passion for promoting French language and culture and his love of the ocean, the great outdoors and photography.

Virginie is our Sales and Operations Manager, responsible for overseeing all adult courses, coordinating customer service, and providing support to both the General Manager and the Finance and Administration Manager.

Between 2019 and 2021, Virginie worked for Alliance Française de Sydney as the Customer Service Coordinator.

With over 15 years of experience, Virginie has held various roles in the travel, leisure, and luxury industries, where she has successfully managed a diverse range of activities.
Prior to her time in Sydney, she lived in Indonesia, where she managed a diving experience company.

Philippe is the Coordinator of the Alliance Française French Film Festival Sydney. Prior to joining the company, he was the CEO and head of publishing of major French and Belgian comic book publisher, Dargaud.

Prior to this, he began his career at EY and then worked for many years for the leading French cultural magazine, Télérama.

Sophie has extensive experience in education, having previously taught in various countries before permanently settling down in Sydney.

Within her role at the AFS, Sophie fulfills her passion for teaching students of all ages, particularly in nurturing her youngest learners as they grow up reach language milestones. 

When not at work, Sophie likes to do judo, eat a lot of Cheese and travel around Australia.

Julian is a recently graduated teacher with a passion for phonetics, psychology and class dynamics.

After a first experience at AFS in 2022, Julian is back in Australia for a new challenge. His training in the latest cognitive and teaching methods, his attention to his students and his passion for new technologies make him the perfect match for our teaching team.

Julian is also a proud Gascon (land of foie gras, Armagnac and d'Artagnan) who fell in love with Australia’s wildlife, landscapes and cultural diversity.

Louise completed her Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing, with a dissertation focused on satisfaction to improve the student experience. After joining us, she quickly became a key member of the team, leading initiatives to promote French culture in Australia.

She develops and implements marketing campaigns to promote Alliance Française de Sydney’s courses and events, manages social media and coordinates events such as Bastille Day celebrations.

She also collaborates with internal teams and external partners to optimise marketing performance and results.

Passionate about French culture, Louise works to strengthen the connection between it and Australian audiences.

Laura joined Alliance Française de Sydney in April 2023! At the Alliance Française de Sydney, she is thrilled to support our students and members.

Having been captivated by Australia since her childhood, Laura made the decision to embrace the challenge of living and studying in this country she had longed to explore—especially to catch a glimpse of koalas! With a strong desire to work internationally and promote French culture worldwide, it was only natural for her to join us.

When she's not at Alliance Française, Laura is studying a master degree of International Relations! She also likes doing sport, exploring the wonders of Australia, taking leisurely strolls around Bondi Beach, reading and savouring delicious food. Her secret guilty pleasure lies in relishing brioche and croissants!

Agnieszka joined Alliance Francaise de Sydney in June 2023, dedicated to delivering friendly and professional service to our students and members.

She brings a wealth of experience to the role, having spent a decade in the European tourism industry, specialising in customer service and organising trips for tourists.

Her fascination with the French language and culture began during her school years and today, she is an absolute Francophile and passionate traveler.

Outside of work, she delights in uncovering hidden gems "off the beaten track," immersing herself in new cultures, sampling new flavours and venturing outside of her comfort zone.

Elisabeth joined Alliance Francaise Sydney as a customer service officer in August 2022.

She is a dedicated team member in supporting our students and members.

Outside of her work at Alliance Française, Elisabeth is studying a bachelor of nursing to become a registered nurse !

When she is not studying at Uni or working with the customer service team of the Alliance Française de Sydney, Elisabeth enjoys her passion for dance, hiking and sport in general.

BA (Hons) Business and Finance

François Romanet is a senior executive with experience with multinationals corporations and not-for-profit organisations.

Francois previously worked as CEO for SAFRAN Pacific (Aeronautics, Defense & Security) and Managing Director of Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia for 13 years. From 2017 to 2022, he was Chairman and CEO for Naval Group Pacific, a world leader in naval defence.
He is currently a Board Member of the European Australian Business Council (EABC) and appointed French Foreign Trade Advisors since 2006.

He was Federal President of the French-Australian Chamber of Commerce (FACCI) for 5 years and Chairman of the Board of the French International School of Sydney (Lycée Condorcet) for 3 years. Francois is Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite.

BA Law, BLS

Hannah is currently working as a lawyer at Gilbert + Tobin (Restructuring + Insolvency) in Sydney.

She previously worked as a lawyer (Restructuring) in London, UK, at Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft LLP and at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy LLP, and as a lawyer (Corporate Advisory) at Corrs Chambers Westgarth in Sydney.

Hannah was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW (2014) and as a Solicitor of the High Court of Australia (2016).

MBA

Alison is a former lawyer who has transitioned over her professional life into performing business, strategy, development and chief of staff style roles.
Most recently she was the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at one of Australia’s top tier law firms. There she was instrumental in elevating diversity and inclusion to a strategic priority and drove a cultural change that delivered results internally and which were recognised by the broader business community.

Alison has an Executive MBA from Ecole des Ponts in Paris and is a Graduate of the AICD's Company Directors’ course.

She is a former director of the French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and is currently active with other Not-for profit committees.

BA Law, BLS, MBA, DECS (France)

Patrick is a Senior Corporate and Institutional Banking executive with an extensive network of relationships at Board and senior management levels.

He has led various banking businesses in France, Australia, Spain and the United States for Credit Agricole, CIB and the Westpac Group.

Patrick is an MBA and Accounting graduate with a passion for diversity, sustainability and the performing arts.

BA

Jeanne Ryckmans has worked for two decades in Australian publishing. Co-founder of Key People Literary Management, she is a former book publisher at Random House, HarperCollins Australia and was the artistic director of the Canberra Writers Festival.

Prior to publishing, Jeanne worked in arts television at France 2 (Bouillon de Culture) and SBS Television as an on-air reporter/presenter (Masterpiece/Imagine) documentary producer/director and was features editor at Elle Magazine and books editor for Vogue Australia. A portrait of Jeanne by artist Mathew Lynn was Runner Up in the Archibald Prize and Winner of the Archibald Prize People's Choice Award (1997).

Jeanne is the author of three books, the latest is Trust: A Fractured Fable (Upswell Publishing).

M Com, B. Bus

Amaury is Co-Founder of Bread Agency (www.breadagency.com.au) a Social Media Agency with Social Commerce at its core. With over 15 years of combined marketing and communications experience on both agency and client sides, Amaury has proven through-the-line experience including TV, print, social media and digital. After launching Sixtine, a creative studio specialised in content production back in Paris, Amaury is now focusing his efforts in creating and implementing social and digital strategies for clients across a wide range of industries. In his ‘dawntime’, he’s taking photos for his blog Morning Bondi.

Aymeric is a strategic transformation and delivery leader with over two decades of international experience across financial services and technology. Known for driving large-scale innovation and digital programmes, Aymeric has led several high-impact initiatives in both corporate and start-up environments.
He played a pivotal role in securing Avenue Bank’s banking licence and launching its flagship Bank Guarantee product, achieving an industry-leading Net Promoter Score of 80+ within months. At Commonwealth Bank, he developed and scaled the BizExpress lending platform, enabling rapid access to funding for Australian businesses during the pandemic.

Currently, he serves as Programme Director at Westpac, where he leads the UNITE transformation within the Consumer Division. Aymeric brings a unique blend of operational rigour, data-driven decision-making, and a deep customer-first mindset to the board.

Originally trained as an engineer in France, he has successfully led teams and transformations across Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Nathalie is a dynamic and results-driven Learning and Development specialist with over 30 years of experience across education, non-profit, and corporate sectors. Her expertise spans instructional design, LMS implementation, professional development, and capability building, with a strong focus on inclusivity and innovation.

As the current Training and Development Lead at Loreto Kirribilli, Nathalie designs impactful training programs, integrates AI in education, and aligns learning with strategic goals. She has previously held leadership roles at knowmore legal service and Pearson, and is the Co-President of the NSW Association of French Teachers, where she fosters global educational partnerships. Recognised with the Outstanding Professional Service Award by PTC NSW, Nathalie is committed to continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and empowering learners through technology.

She holds three Master’s degrees in Management, Teaching, and Educational Practice, and actively contributes to sector-wide professional learning through speaking engagements and curriculum development.

Dr Nicholas Baker is a seasoned senior executive and former diplomat with over two decades of international experience across Europe and Latin America.

As a Trade and Investment Commissioner with Austrade, Nicholas led strategic operations in France, Spain, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and beyond—driving export growth for Australian businesses and attracting major global investors to Australia.

He has held leadership roles across international education, infrastructure, energy, and health, building strong partnerships with government, industry, and research sectors.

Known for his operational excellence, inclusive leadership, and cultural insight, Nicholas was also Austrade’s first Champion for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity. He has served on multiple bilateral business councils and actively contributed to international policy forums.

Nicholas holds a PhD in Cultural Studies, a Master’s in Sociology, and a BA in French and Latin American Studies. Fluent in French and Spanish, he brings a deep understanding of global markets and cross-cultural collaboration.