Interview with Nicolas Petrovic, CEO at Eurostar
More than any other business figures, Nicolas Petrovic (43) embodies the new 400,000-strong “Eurostar generation” of French people who have made London their home. After studying in Paris at leading business schools ESCP and Insead, he started his career at the national rail company SNCF, after a two years stint in China. He moved to Eurostar’s London headquarters in 2003 and has been CEO of the newly privatised and unified company since 2010. Nicolas Petrovic, who lives in Hampstead with his family and always travels by scooter in London, shares with Chic-Londres his vision for Eurostar and his experience as both CEO and French Londoner.
Do you feel more like a Londoner or a Parisian? After ten years spent living here, I’ve definitely become more of a Londoner, even though a part of me remains Parisian- if only because I travel to Paris at least once per week through work. But I must admit that I find Paris more difficult now, by contrast with London’s relaxed lifestyle. I find everything about London appealing, especially its people’s well mannered and optimistic attitude, its energy and the fact it’s such a multicultural city.