Ronny Turiaf

emlyon business school

Age: 42

“Passionate connector and joyful bridge-builder between sport, art, community, and deep human transformation.”

Hometown (City and State):
Fort-de-France, Martinique

Family Members:
Mother: Victoire Cezar
Father: Georges Louis Turiaf
Sisters: Elodie, Florence, Rachelle

Fun fact about yourself:
I’m on a mission to become an unofficial sparkling water sommelier—because attention to detail is one of my favorite pastimes.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

• Gonzaga University – B.A. in Sports Management and Applied Communication
• emlyon business school – Executive MBA
• ICART Paris – Specialized Master’s in Cultural Engineering and Management
• INSEAD – Global Management Certificate

Where are you currently working?
Founder, Maison Verveau
Junior Ambassador, NBA Europe & Africa

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:

• TEDx Speaker
• Co-founder of the “Re-Connect” Program (Pilot with FDJ to support athlete transitions; inaugural cohort of 8)
• President, Heart to Heart Foundation (Providing defibrillators to underserved schools in the Caribbean)
• Advisor to Collectif Sports (On athlete well-being and workplace integration)
• Seed investor and advisor to Bros Agency and DashRadio
• Speaker on team cohesion, leadership, and post-career reinvention for global sports organizations and companies
• Founder of Maison Verveau, which has hosted over 40 creatives from 6+ countries

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Creating the first edition of the “Re-Connect” pilot, thanks to insights from the “Emerging Business Models” course, was deeply meaningful. It combined my past as a professional athlete, my present as a strategist, and my future as a support system for others navigating transition. Watching the idea evolve from classroom dialogue to real-world implementation proved the power of applied learning and collective intelligence.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Founding Maison Verveau, a sanctuary for creatives, athletes, and leaders to slow down, reflect, and transform. It brings together everything I believe in—intentionality, beauty, connection, and reinvention. After a life of constant movement, I finally built the space I had always been searching for. It’s now becoming a hub for purposeful pause and renewal.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Too many to name, but Thomas Gauthier and Xavier Maze-Colboc were the first in the program to have truly pushed me to expand how I view life, business, and impact. They helped me understand the strategic importance of values and the emotional intelligence needed to drive long-term transformation.

Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? emlyon’s focus on entrepreneurship, strategy, and global impact aligned with my journey. But more importantly, I felt seen—not just as a former athlete or entrepreneur, but as someone eager to grow and give back differently. Their support for athletes pursuing dual careers also made it the perfect fit.

What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? The biggest lesson: strategic clarity is born from emotional truth. I learned to design systems at Maison Verveau that reflect a broader definition of success—not just operational efficiency, but emotional resonance and social impact. This led to the launch of transformative retreat programs and new, aligned partnerships.

Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family, and education: I approached the Executive MBA like a basketball season—with distinct phases of intensity, recovery, and rhythm. One week, I was writing the “Re-Connect” pilot, hosting a creative residency at Maison Verveau, working as an Ambassador with the NBA in Abu Dhabi, trying to help babysit my nieces and nephew on weekends, and submitting a critical academic paper. I leaned on rituals: early silence, handwritten planning (also random reminders by classmates), and my sacred morning coffee. I learned that presence—not perfection—is what sustains me. Just keep showing up until the final buzzer.

What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Come as you are—but be ready to shed outdated definitions of success. This journey isn’t just about upskilling—it’s about grounding yourself and stretching beyond your comfort zone. Ask questions, stay open, and let others reflect back on your growth. Vulnerability is a strength—and so is curiosity.

What was your biggest regret in business school? Not journaling more in real time. So many insights and transformational moments happened—I wish I had captured them more intentionally. I also regret putting so much pressure on myself to optimize every opportunity, which meant less quiet time with my animals—an essential part of my grounding practice.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire?  I deeply admire the entire Sambagedon crew (Part-Time and Fast Track):

• Vincent Sarlin – For his capacity to digest and synthesize complex information
• Nezah Kerkoub – For her care and emotional intelligence
• Marion Breleux – For her gift of inspiring others with clarity
• Kanako Ito – For the lightness and joy she brings into every room
• Zahi Daoui – For his commitment to excellence and delivery
• Thierry De Gevigney – For his courage to reinvent himself
• Wei Xu – For making complex decisions seem simple
• Qiao Lu – For the brilliance and originality of his thinking
• Céline Lerat – For her sharp eye for identifying misalignments
• Céline Marchal – For her negotiation talent and tactical mind
• Florent Afeli – For his calm, confident leadership rooted in heart

What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? I needed full immersion—with peers navigating similar transitions and leadership challenges. The in-person cohort model created human bonds and deep insights that couldn’t be replicated online. For someone like me—who learns through lived experience and presence—it was the only choice.

How did you finance your EMBA and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? I self-financed through personal savings and by reallocating resources from my contributions to NBA Players Association education programs, which support athletes pursuing continued education. I also aligned academic projects directly with my entrepreneurial ventures to create value beyond the classroom.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? To become a global catalyst for soulful transformation—through retreats, public speaking, and systemic leadership programs—helping individuals and organizations reconnect with purpose, reinvent themselves, and build ecosystems that serve both people and the planet.

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