Client Testimonial
How did Coges Events structure their performance management with Primexis

To support its digital transformation, Coges Events, organizer of Eurosatory, the Global Event for Defense and Security and key player in defense and security exhibitions, called on Primexis to structure its performance management.

The challenge was to standardize a complex biennial budget, centralize CFO/DHR data, and make real-time visibility available for decision-makers. As a result: productivity tripled, a roll-out in 5 months, and immediately adoptable for the teams.

Anne-Sophie de Marcas, Chief Financial Officer & DHR at Conges Events, talks about her collaboration with Primexis to implement a powerful and automated financial management system.

Could you describe Coges Events and your role?

I am Anne-Sophie de Marsac, Chief Financial Officer and Human Resources Director at Coges Events, a company that has been organizing international exhibitions dedicated to land and airland defense and security for more than 20 years.

I joined the company two years ago at the initiative of our Chairman, Charles Beaudouin, as part of a transformation roadmap. My role has been to modernize the tools used by our Finance and Human Resources departments to make accessing data easier and to allow directors to carry out their analyses more smoothly.

What were your main challenges?

We had to meet multiple objectives: standardize and secure the budget process, centralize data from the CFO and HR Director in a data lake, and assist the users in adopting the new tools.

Coges Events’ budgetary control has a distinctive feature; it spans over two full years because our big exhibition Eurosatory, an international defense event, takes place every two years. This specific requirement called for a tool that is able to work on a two-year cycle, manage multiple data sources, and offer a comprehensive overview of each event while consolidating more than a dozen budgets.

How did your collaboration with Primexis go?

We studied multiple solutions on the market, but none fully met our needs. What convinced us to collaborate with Primexis was their hybrid position: both technical and financial experts with a strong background in controlling and expertise in data challenges.

The assignment started with an audit and reconciliation phase carried out by Primexis’ teams. They took the time to meet the entire management team to understand their activities and their needs.

After this step, Primexis offered a personalized solution that covered the entire value chain, from collecting data to its visualization. The project was completed in 5 months, the planned deadline, and Primexis’ teams continue to assist Coges Events to develop the tool and enrich it as needed.

In your opinion, what were the key factors to this project’s success?

Above all, its success is based on the ability to listen and the pertinence of the statement of requirements. Primexis’ team knew how to translate our business expectations into concrete solutions. They understood how we worked and offered both powerful and accessible tools.

How did Coges Events’ teams receive the new tools?

Our Finance and HR departments were involved from the start of the project. The results were immediate with a considerable amount of time saved in analyses. According to my estimation, we increased our productivity by three.

We particularly appreciated the ease of use and ergonomic design of the new environment, which allowed us to follow our budget commitments in real time and access a clear vision of our data.

Why would you recommend Primexis?

For their reactivity, adaptability, and smooth communication throughout the entire project.

Their standards allowed us to maintain our initial objectives even in the face of unexpected events. And all of this took place in a very enjoyable collaborative environment, which was not negligible when working on a transformation project over many months.

Primexis Client: Coges Events; Turnover: +€20M; Workforce: 80 employees

Sector: International event organization (Defense & Security)

Project challenges: Roll out a budget tool and automate finance and HR reporting; improve strategic decision making; and reduce the time dedicated minimal value-added tasks

Primexis’ approach is based on 3 pillars: