This credo is the guideline of Karine DOGNIN-SAUZE’s diverse experiences in both public and private sectors and numerous actions in favor of change, innovation and entrepreneurship. Karine DOGNIN-SAUZE is an international trade and innovation professional specialized in the fields of entertainment and new technologies.
She started her career at Electronic Arts Inc, a world leading interactive entertainment company ($4.5 billion) from Palo Alto, where she worked for 18 years. As European Marketing Director, she drove the growth of the Sims Brand and business in the 23 markets of Europe, Middle East and South America ($300 million - 300 staff).
In 2012, she joined GL events, a leading company operating in events and media industry, to build up an innovation unit and contribute to the launch and re-positioning of venues such as Palais Brongniart, a hot spot for innovation.
In 2014, Karine DOGNIN-SAUZE founded Witty Cie(s), a company dedicated to strategic consulting for changing organisations, companies and local entities, and more recently EVERBLIX, in the field of the Internet of Things.
Besides her professional career, Karine DOGNIN-SAUZE holds several political and corporate offices.
Since 2007, she has served as Vice-President of the Metropole of Lyon. She is currently in charge of Economy, Innovation, Smart City, Digital and Smart Mobility. As part of her duties, she defines and carries out the local policy of innovation, building on the convergence of know-how, programs and mechanisms supporting entrepreneurship, the setting-up of international cooperations and the growth of emerging strategic economic fields, particularly those related to the new economy (digital, clean technologies, robotics, data economy, Internet of Things).
Her purpose is to build the creative and technological ground necessary to develop a model of innovative smart city.
Karine DOGNIN-SAUZE also serves as Deputy Mayor of the City of Lyon in charge of International and European Affairs, Decentralised cooperation and International solidarity, involved in the development of 26 city-to-city partnerships.
She is Presidente of Les Interconnectés, a network of innovative cities and local governments that promotes the exchange of good practices and facilitates the spread of digital transformations. Every year, Les Interconnectés throws a congress gathering over 800 elected officials, businesses and decision-makers to discuss those issues.
In addition, Karine DOGNIN-SAUZE is Vice-President of Open data France, LUCI (international network on urban lighting) and Lyon French Tech. She is a board member of several think tanks including FING (devoted to innovation and digital transformation) and Humanninov (think tank/do tank devoted to the valorisation of human capital as a lever for innovation), as well as public organisations such as ADERLY (Economic Development Agency for the Lyon area), Agence France Locale (bank created by and for local governments) and SPL Part Dieu (public company working towards the redevelopment of the second largest business center in France).
She represents the City of Lyon within the Eurocities network (network of major European cities).
In 2016, Karine DOGNIN-SAUZE joined the Strategic Orientation Committee of the National Digital Agency, a government agency backed to the Ministry of Industry and Digital. She is also, since January 2018, a member of the French Digital Council, committed to shape a French Digital Republic that carries the values and the voice of a French and European model.