In 2026, MU France is celebrating 45 Years of team-based impact and collective success.
During this time, we have been privileged to partner with thousands of SMEs and large corporations, tackling their most strategic challenges in recruitment and leadership.
Our story began 45 years ago, when Håkan Skoglund arrived from Sweden, fueled by a sharp vision and a commitment to build a dedicated and diverse team in France. Since then, we have established a formidable reputation among our clients and have consistently delivered exceptional results, supporting our dear clients in getting better results.
We are proud to share more about our long-standing cooperation with the Hamelin Group:
The Hamelin Group is a French family-owned business and an undisputed leader in the field of manufacturing school and office supplies. Each year, Hamelin (employing nearly 3,000 people across 22 countries) produces and markets 550 million products that facilitate learning, studying, and personal development.
Since it was founded 161 years ago, the Hamelin Group has been driven by a family entrepreneurial spirit. Its long-term vision, daring approach, innovative mindset, and market approach are essential elements of its DNA. Its mission is to provide the best tools to help individuals succeed and thrive—while doing so in a manner that reduces environmental impact.
With a long-term vision, the Hamelin Group identifies the main external forces that shape its environment and can influence its business model. The recent acquisition of the Pelikan Group, for example, opens up new opportunities for organic growth in Europe and major emerging markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where the group’s brands are already present.
The new governance structure implemented in 2020 guarantees the Hamelin family's long-term commitment, even though they are no longer involved in operational management. The organisation is agile and highly decentralised, with general managers—closely connected to the field—operating with significant autonomy, responsibility, and initiative.
At the Hamelin Group, long-term performance goes hand in hand with responsibility. The CSR strategy revolves around three pillars: support for education, environmental protection, and social engagement. For each of these commitments, clear objectives are set, and measures are taken to reduce their carbon footprint and mitigate the environmental impact of products.
The Group is firmly committed to the long term, a vision that MU fully shares.
For Eric Joan, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, trust has always been and remains paramount in all relationships.
When it comes to managing teams, Eric Joan believes in leading by example and does not subscribe to various "leadership models." He believes in the richness of diversity, the strength of exemplarity, and the sharing of experiences. When an internal promotion can be done, it will certainly be his preference.
MU has recruited many leaders for the Hamelin Group and has conducted numerous assessments to ensure the best internal mobility, both in France and across Europe (Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Poland) and outside Europe (Tunisia, Turkey, Malaysia, China, Japan).
“Marie-Claire Lemaître has collaborated with the Hamelin Group for nearly 30 years. She is our best ambassador! She presents and advocates for the company almost better than I do. She understands how our Group operates, she comprehends our values, and she has a strong grasp of our corporate culture. I thought it was impossible for an outsider to truly understand our corporate culture. Marie-Claire has done it. She shares our experiences, interacts with many employees and country managers, gathers their opinions and experiences, allowing her to suggest profiles that have a good chance of fitting.”
“For me, the quality of collaboration is first defined by the results achieved, not by tools that do not interest me. I am very satisfied with the quality of collaboration we have had with MU for 30 years, and particularly with Marie-Claire Lemaître.”