Interview with Vânia M., Senior Project Manager, formerly with QUANTEAM Portugal in Lisbon since 2017, now with QUANTEAM in Lyon
After spending more than eight years in Lisbon, where she worked at various companies including QUANTEAM Portugal, Vania decided to return to France to join the teams at QUANTEAM and RAINBOW PARTNERS in Lyon for an assignment with Groupe BPCE, in order to balance her personal life with her professional career. She tells us about her career path, her life in Lisbon, her desire to return to France, and shares some advice on living abroad.
Vânia, can you tell us about your career path before joining QUANTEAM?
My background is quite unusual! I was born in Portugal, where I grew up until I was 10, and then I lived in southeastern France. I went on to study accounting and management and worked for eight years in various sectors, including four years in wealth management in Monaco, before transitioning into global design. In 2017, after a stay in Portugal, I decided to move back there permanently and, post-COVID, began a new career transition into project management in digital transformation. After a few years as a freelancer, I joined QUANTEAM Portugal in 2024.
Why did you join QUANTEAM Portugal, and how did your onboarding go?
Great! I joined the QUANTEAM Portugal team as a senior project manager specializing in banking application migration, working on an assignment at Klx, a Crédit Agricole Group subsidiary focused on IT transformation. I immediately enjoyed the assignment, and even though I was based at the client’s site, I appreciated the quality of my interactions with Guillaume, my manager. Relationships are straightforward, transparent, and personal, with a team that is present and committed to supporting its consultants.
And why did you decide to return to France? How did you go about moving to Lyon?
It was a family decision. My daughter has health issues that will be better managed in France, and we wanted to be closer to our family. Since my husband has a new career opportunity in France, that sped up our decision. For my part, I looked into opportunities in various French cities, without success at first, but I didn’t want to leave QUANTEAM. That’s when I spoke directly with Guillaume, who expedited and facilitated this move with the teams in Lyon.
After that, everything went extremely smoothly. Guillaume put me in touch with Julien, an Associate Director in Lyon, as well as with Pauline from the HR team in France. Everything fell into place very quickly: I was hired based on my qualifications, received my new contract in advance, and retained my seniority… I joined the Lyon team in October 2025. I was already familiar with Lyon, so it made sense for me personally, and I immediately liked the team’s mindset: a more collaborative, European spirit that contrasts a bit with the more… “flashy” side of the professional culture in typically local companies, even though I loved my eight years in Portugal. Today, I’m on assignment with the BPCE Group.
What advice would you give to those who are hesitant about studying abroad or to anyone interested in joining QUANTEAM internationally?
If I had to give one piece of advice to those who are hesitant to take on an international assignment, it would be to take the plunge. International mobility is a deeply transformative adventure, both professionally and personally. I’ve had incredible experiences and met extraordinary people. Of course, there are challenges involved in settling in—I faced them when I first arrived here and again when I moved to Lyon, such as finding a place to live. I had to hire a local real estate agent, and it hasn’t been finalized yet. But at QUANTEAM, you’re never alone; the support is genuine, and you can feel a real commitment to making every step easier. This experience allows you to broaden your perspective, discover different ways of working, and open yourself up to new opportunities. If you feel the urge, listen to it, because taking this step is often an opportunity to turn a new page in your career and your life.
13 OFFICES IN FRANCE AND ABROAD
Cultural diversity is a core value at QUANTEAM! Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Lisbon, Geneva, Casablanca, Singapore… our experts support our clients with their challenges around the world. Looking to relocate? Our offices also support our consultants in their plans to live and work abroad. Because being close to our clients is part of our DNA, you’ll always find a QUANTEAM and RAINBOW PARTNERS expert by your side.
