Alexis Warret: “The main goal is to ensure that the institution’s operations run smoothly.”
Since early November, Alexis Warret has served as the chief financial officer of the University of Montpellier for a four-year term, renewable once. With his deep understanding of the higher education and research landscape, he has set two priorities for his new role: modernization and simplification. When sound financial management makes for good leaders… An interview.
Name?
, Alexis Warret.
Position
, Accounting Officer at the University of Montpellier.
Responsibilities?
I would distinguish between two categories. The first is the historical aspect, the foundation of the profession: paying bills, collecting revenue, maintaining the books and inventory records, preparing financial statements—what is known as preparing the financial statements for the fiscal year that just ended at the beginning of the following year—and so on.
The second set of tasks relates to the implementation of GBCP ( public budget and accounting management) and RCE ( expanded responsibilities and competencies). This involves participation, management, and project leadership in the areas of financial and accounting modernization. This is the contribution we can make to the strategic management of the institution by producing reliable accounting data that enables management to make decisions with all the necessary information at their disposal.
What are the challenges of your term?
The transition from Sifac —the budget, financial, and accounting management software—to Sifac+, a much more comprehensive version, which will require about two years of preparation. We’ll begin as early as 2025; this will be a key focus of my term. The second “challenge” is simplification. We’ll expand the scope of the modernization of payment tools with the purchasing card, which will serve as both a means of modernizing payments and simplifying the expenditure process for female faculty members and Professors.
What skills are required?
We immediately think of the technical skills that are at the heart of the profession. Quite clearly, I think it’s the ability to adapt to the higher education and research environment—which demands a high degree of responsiveness because it evolves extremely rapidly.
For several years now, we have been seeing increasingly complex project structures that often combine multiple sources of funding with different rules, along with regulations that are not necessarily well-suited to the situation or that are somewhat outdated. Therefore, we need to work on adapting these regulations. We are also working with increasingly significant partners, including foreign partners, which creates a number of management challenges.
Grasshopper or ant?
An accounting officer is rarely a grasshopper; I’d say they’re more like an ant by nature. Especially in the current national context. The situation is uncertain and ever-changing due to the absence of a national budget. The main objective is to ensure the smooth operation of the institution.
Rev counter or checking account?
Neither. Public transportation. Montpellier has excellent public transportation, so that’s how I’ll do my part to protect the environment.
Asset or liability?
Let’s say asset. Accounting is all well and good, but you have to try to step away from it every now and then. I really enjoy traveling and I’m pretty into reading: history, comic books… My tastes are pretty eclectic.
Maroilles, sauerkraut, or fougasse?
A little bit of everything. I’m originally from Pas-de-Calais, and I worked throughout the region for quite some time. After that, I moved down to the Rhône region—specifically, Lyon. Then I moved back up to Alsace, to Strasbourg. And since early November, I’ve been in Occitanie, in Montpellier.
Fiscal year or academic year?
It’s definitely more of a fiscal year—let’s be honest. I started my career in traditional administration, as the head of the academic affairs office at the University of Artois. Later, I switched to the Public Treasury and retook the competitive exam to become a university academic administration advisor—for those who are familiar with it, since that position no longer exists.
From there, I pursued a career in accounting: I served as an accounting officer at the IUFM Nord-Pas-de-Calais for 5 years; at the University of Valenciennes for 3 years; at the University of Lyon for a little over 5 years as well; at the University of Strasbourg for nearly 8 years—two terms that were almost complete. And then at the University of Montpellier, since early November.
Thank you!