When Lionel brings up the idea, the reactions are unanimous. For Pierre, the classmate from Centrale Lyon, Bernard who, when he started his career at PSA, was his counterpart at Renault, and Florian, who arrived six months before him at Masai, the answer is “yes”, with no hesitation. The sequel is almost obvious. A name stands out, KEPLER – after the astrophysicist. “From something very complicated, the movement of the planets around the sun, he made very simple laws”, explains Lionel Muller for whom this sums up the ambition well, then a logo: a square for expertise and rigor and a boomerang for creativity which, by their vision of the profession and the way they intend to exercise it, “goes out of the box”.

Then come the resignations, chained a few days apart, and the establishment on the Quai de la Rapée, in premises located in a basement they call “the cellar” and where they are ashamed to hold interviews.

The first times are strained, “rudimentary” recalls Pierre Rougier; and yet, they recruit, among others, some Masai who, tempted by the adventure, have followed in their footsteps. The 2008 crisis goes almost unnoticed, cushioned by the signing of four major contracts that will launch the activity. Six months later, the team settles in 110 sq.m located Place de la Bourse. After a year they are twenty colleagues. New customers are flocking, “industrials and retailers”.

In the meantime, China’s Office has been launched, “with an office in Shanghai settled in one weekend because, three months after creating the firm, we had landed a first assignment there and we had to deal with the most urgent matters”, laughs Peter. A few weeks later, it’s the turn of India – where KEPLER settles an office in an emergency because, “as in China, the mission was assigned before we had the means to manage it”, and, from 2013, the United States office, following a call for tenders won with a world leader in medical equipment. This time, we’re off.

So much so that, from the following year, the firm was looking for new momentum. The turnover is around 4 million euros, business is turning and, on the management side, we are champing at the bit. “We wanted to grow, to make acquisitions! ” recalls Lionel Muller. To initiate this new era, KEPLER begins by bringing Odyssée Venture into its capital, before moving on to serious matters by launching, in the mid-2017, its first takeover operation on Sinnogen, a consulting firm specializing in R&D and innovation issues with clients such as Faurecia and L’Oréal in its portfolio. This will be a two years project. But when the takeover is signed in May 2019, the repercussions are instantaneous, and not only economical.

A first interview with a Kepler partner allows you to understand your background and your motivations to join us. It is also an opportunity for you to learn more about our business and our vision for Kepler.

The second interview, also with two partners, is essentially focused on the suitability of the candidate, including the completion of one or more practical cases.

Finally, you can meet with a consultant from the Kepler team to ask questions about daily life at Kepler or the content of the assignments.