Virginie Morgon was a guest on "Elles ont osé," the Les Echos Entrepreneurs podcast hosted by Marie Eloy, founder of the Femmes des territoires network.
Known as "The She-Wolf of Wall Street," Virginie Morgon built an exceptional career in finance — 17 years at Lazard, where she became the youngest managing partner, followed by 15 years at Eurazeo, which she led from 2018, growing assets under management from €3 billion to €34 billion.
In this conversation, Virginie reflects on the convictions that have guided every choice she has made: freedom, the pack mentality, and the belief that you can't build anything alone. The youngest of four children, she developed a sense of independence and a taste for teamwork early on — two qualities she now channels into the Ardabelle Capital adventure.
She explains why, after serving as an advisor and then as a CEO, she chose to become an entrepreneur — founding a private equity firm dedicated to the transition toward a sustainable economy, with the goal of demonstrating that sustainable practices deliver superior performance.
Key themes covered
- Learning through excellence — The formative years at Lazard, resilience at work, and the pursuit of balance
- From advisor to actor — The shift from M&A advisory to private equity at Eurazeo, and the Moncler intuition
- Leadership and freedom — Raising four children while building an extraordinary career in finance
- The sustainability transition — Placing ESG at the heart of investment strategy as a driver of competitiveness
- The Ardabelle venture — Creating her own firm to invest according to her convictions, with a complementary team
- Mercedes Erra — Her inspiring woman, co-founder of the Women's Forum and a leading figure in advertising
Les Echos Entrepreneurs — Virginie Morgon