ENTREPRENEUR, PROFESSOR, SPEAKER, INVESTOR

Jean-Baptiste GERARD, born into a family where knowledge, science, art, and the transmission of learning are deeply valued, developed a passion for innovation and technological progress at an early age. Inspired by his great-grandfather, a chief engineer who played a key role in the design of the Paris Metro, which at the time became a model for many cities around the world, and by his encounter with astronaut Jean-François Clervoy, he quickly immersed himself in the world of new technologies. At the age of 12, he created his first website, marking the beginning of a journey dedicated to innovation.

He would later go on to win several hackathons, including one that led to his incubation by Crédit Agricole. He has also served as a mentor in various hackathons, including the MIT Hacking Medicine and the Techstars Startup Weekend, advising a diverse audience ranging from students to employees, doctoral candidates, physicians, and experts from various fields, all focused on the development of high-growth startups.

After completing his studies at the prestigious engineering school Centrale Paris and Harvard Business School, he set out to explore the world, from Silicon Valley to the Middle East and Asia, particularly in Singapore. Immersed in a multicultural and dynamic environment, he gained a wealth of diverse experiences. His numerous travels broadened his cultural horizons and led him to adopt various perspectives when facing challenges.

Enriched by his cultural experiences and diverse problem-solving approaches, he returned to Paris to work at IBM as a consultant, where he advised CAC40 and SBF120 companies on strategy, innovation, and AI. He later joined the LVMH Group to lead strategic initiatives at Louis Vuitton focused on innovation and AI. Leveraging his professional journey, he decided to establish Laystone Group, a company dedicated to anticipating and addressing future environmental and societal challenges in close collaboration with corporate partners.

Today, he is the CEO of Laystone Consulting, a global innovation consulting services firm to companies around the world and CEO of Laystone School, an innovative digital school. 

He helped international companies to innovate quickly, accelerate and scale their digital transformation on innovative technologies such as AI & Data, IoT and Blockchain in Singapore and in France…

His grandmother, a philosophy professor who earned the prestigious agrégation from the University of Paris-Sorbonne in 1958, instilled in him a deep passion for teaching and sharing knowledge. This family vocation naturally inspired him to become a professor in the fields of innovation, management, artificial intelligence, and digital strategy. He has taught and mentored over 2,000 MBA and Master’s students at prestigious institutions such as CentraleSupelec – Paris-Saclay University and SciencesPo Paris. Additionally, he shares his expertise globally as a speaker at major technology events like GITEX in Dubai.

He was recognized by Forbes France as one of the 30 most promising young entrepreneurs and leaders under 30.