Meet Philippe Brunet, class patron of the 2026 incoming students

You are the class patron of the 2026/2027 intake. Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your career path?

I graduated from Centrale Nantes in 1987 and from the IFP School in 1988. I obtained a Master’s degree from the Carnegie Bosch Institute in Pittsburgh, USA, in 2006.
I began my career at Aérospatiale, where I worked on the design of geostationary satellites, before joining the Renault Formula One Team as an engine engineer. For around ten years, I contributed to the development of the Formula 1 V10 engine through testing, simulations and design. We won eight World Championship titles.

I then continued my career with the Renault Group from 2000 onwards, as well as within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, where I held various roles in powertrain development, followed by vehicle programme management (Espace5, Talisman/SM6 and Koleos2/QM6) and research and development activities relating to internal combustion, hybrid and electric powertrains (E-Tech technologies). This led me to work in France, South Korea, China and Japan, where I was notably Head of Mechanical Engineering (powertrain) for Renault and Nissan for four years, until 2020.

In November 2023, I became Director of EV and Mechanical Vehicle Engineering at Ampère, a subsidiary of the Renault Group, where we developed the Scénic (Car of the Year 2024), the R5 (Car of the Year 2025), the R4 and the Twingo, along with their associated powertrains.

Since September 2025, I have been a member of the Renault Group’s Leadership Team and am in charge of global engineering for the Group. We have just launched our new strategic plan, FutuREady 2030.

What made you decide to accept this role as a class patron?

To help promote Centrale Nantes and raise its profile, but also to enable future graduates to benefit from my professional experience. After a career spanning nearly 25 years at the Renault Group and within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, I have had the opportunity to witness numerous transformations in the automotive sector. I would now like to share this experience with the students and raise their awareness of the technical and industrial revolutions currently underway.

Given your background, what advice would you give to these future engineers to help them make the most of their time at Centrale Nantes?

Firstly, I would advise them to choose roles and activities that align with their career plans and personal interests. It’s also important to consider the added value you can bring to a role and to be prepared to challenge yourself. Rather than following a pre-determined career path, I believe you should shape your own professional journey and learn to recognise its various key stages.

Do you have a memorable experience or moment from your time at Centrale Nantes?

Two memorable experiences from my time at Centrale Nantes:

• The school’s participation in the Paris-Dakar Rally. As a keen car mechanic, I was already very interested in the school when I learnt that it offered its students the chance to take part in the Paris-Dakar. I took part in two editions, on a motorbike. We would prepare and refurbish the motorbikes throughout the year before setting off. It was an experience that obviously fuelled my passion for mechanics and motoring.
• My final-year project, which confirmed my desire to work in the automotive industry. The task was to build a prototype 2.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 petrol engine, based on a 3-litre V6 petrol engine known at the time as the ‘V6 PRV’ (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo). Together with my team, we drew up the plans, manufactured the prototype parts and reused some of the production components, before putting the engine on the test bench at Centrale Nantes.

Now, as an alumnus who graduated in 1987, how do you view the school’s development?

Since I graduated in 1987, the school has grown significantly and expanded its influence, progressing from its status as an ENSI to becoming part of the Ecoles Centrale group. It is now ranked amongst the top 10 engineering schools in France.