Mr. Jean R. Simonnet is a Walton certified Culture Compass™ Coach representing Walton Consulting to France. He is also the Entrepreneur in Residence with Muhlenberg College where he teaches Entrepreneurship Policy, Capital Venture and Entrepreneurial Practicum.
Across his career progression, he has experienced the challenges and rewards of various positions in several businesses, from Fortune 500 corporations to successful smaller entities. He has been involved in first and second round financing with Business Angels and Venture Capital communities. This broad experience has given him a natural base for understanding both the importance and challenge of creating cultural business environments necessary for successful growth.
Mr. Simonnet, who is tri-lingual and a seasoned international executive, graduated from "Ecole Centrale d'Electronique" in Paris, France and has completed additional graduate work at Loughborough University in England, as well as intensive, complementary studies in Health, Safety, and Environment in Holland. Mr. Simonnet is also a certified Quality Program Lead Assessor from the Robert McCraee Institute of London. During his career, he successively led research and development programs with Corning Glass Works International on photo chromic lenses in Harrodsburg, KY, followed by an 18 year career in technical gases with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. where he held senior positions in operations and commercial responsibilities across Europe, including being a member of various management committees and boards, at Director and Vice President levels, in England, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.
Mr. Simonnet founded his own company in France, SAGIM, which operates in the hydrogen market in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and South America, and remained the President and CEO for 8 years. He was also the President of Prometeo, a French association of companies operating in the meteorology sector. At the same time, he was named Vice President Sales and Marketing for HBT, a California start-up developing hydrocarbon reformers producing hydrogen for the fuel cell and car industry. Over the last years as part of his activity as a private consultant, operating his own consulting company, HJS-International Consulting, Mr. Simonnet created the Corporate Health and Safety Department for DCN, the French naval armed fleet. In this responsibility he was directly involved with the construction and commercial activity of the armed vessel sector including nuclear operations, as well as associating with many high-tech contracting companies in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the USA. He has led commercial projects in Africa for HYDRO, a worldwide Norwegian based company in hydrogen production.
Mr. Jean Simonnet has recently relocated to the Lehigh Valley, PA with his Allentown born wife and their son.
