In this article, Maxime PIOUX (ESSEC Business School, Global Bachelor in Business Administration (GBBA), 2022-2026) shares his professional experience as a financial controller assistant at Altice Media.
About the company
Altice Media was a major French media group owned by the Altice Group, founded and controlled by billionaire Patrick Drahi. The group operated across television, radio, and digital media, gathering some of the most important brands in the French audiovisual landscape, including BFM TV, BFM Business, RMC, and RMC Sport. Through these channels, Altice Media played a central role in continuous diffusion of economic, politic and sport news and content, addressing a wide audience.
In July 2024, Altice Media was sold at 100% to the French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM, led by its CEO Rodolphe Saadé, for an estimated amount of €1.5 billion. This acquisition marked CMA CGM’s ambition to diversify its activities beyond transport and logistics, notably by strengthening its presence in the media and information sector.
Logo of Altice.
Source: Altice
My internship
I completed a three-month operational internship within the Finance and Administration Department of Altice Media, more specifically in the central management control team. This department plays a key role in monitoring the group’s financial performance and provides essential support for decision-making, particularly by tracking results, analyzing variances, and consolidating data from the different entities.
I worked within the central team, collaborating directly with the two management controllers responsible for consolidating the figures of all the group’s subsidiaries before they were reported to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), then to the group’s executive management and the shareholder. This position offered a comprehensive view of the performance of the group’s various entities and allowed me to understand how the consolidated data was used in reporting to both the finance department and the shareholder.
My missions
This internship gave me a practical understanding of the role of a management controller and allowed me to participate in a wide range of tasks. My main responsibilities were focused on monthly closing activities, including updating financial reporting, analyzing variances between actual and budgeted figures, performing intra-group reconciliations, and integrating certain companies not yet included in the reporting systems.
In a context of understaffing due to high turnover within the department, I quickly gained autonomy and was entrusted with more challenging tasks, such as participating in reforecasting exercises for two entities, building tracking dashboards, and preparing summary presentations for the Finance Department and Group Management.
In parallel, I contributed to various ad hoc assignments for the Finance Department, such as weekly analysis of unpaid invoices and updating regulated agreements.
Required skills and knowledge
This internship required me to mobilize a wide range of skills. On the hard skills side, proficiency in Excel was essential, as it is the main tool used daily by the management controller. It was also necessary to be flexible and able to quickly learn how to use new financial software such as SAP, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which centralizes and automates the main processes of a company, including accounting and financial transactions. The use of Hyperion was also required: this financial performance management tool is commonly used for budgeting, forecasting and consolidated reporting, and is often directly connected to Excel. Finally, being comfortable with numbers is strongly recommended to succeed in this type of role.
On the soft skills side, rigor and organization were crucial to deliver accurate data for the Finance Department and the management teams of the different entities. A management controller must also demonstrate strong communication and collaboration skills, as the role involves constant interaction with operational teams as well as with the finance departments of the various entities in order to collect, monitor, and analyze financial information.
What I learned
This immersion in the world of finance allowed me to gain a better understanding of the day-to-day operations of a Finance Department within a multi-entity group. I discovered the role of a management controller through the key processes that structure this function, notably monthly closing, consolidated financial reporting, and reforecasting work, which then serve as a basis for performance analysis and strategic decision-making.
I was also exposed to challenges related to financial consolidation, a complex area that requires both strong technical skills and a high level of rigor. I was able to understand the importance of adjustments, intra-group reconciliations, and data consistency in order to produce reliable financial information that can be effectively used by management.
Financial concepts related to my internship
I present below three concepts related to my internship:
Budget and Reforecast
Budgeting and reforecasting are essential tools in management control for anticipating and driving a company’s financial performance. On the one hand, the budget corresponds to a projection of expected financial results over a given period (generally one year) and serves as a benchmark against which actual performance is measured. The process begins with numerous discussions between the management controller and operational teams in order to understand business needs, identify potential cost savings, and estimate revenue. This information is then consolidated and analyzed by the Finance Department before being submitted to Group Management for review and comments, and ultimately validated by the shareholder.
On the other hand, reforecasting, consists of updating these projections during the year by incorporating actual data and changes in business activity or market conditions. These exercises are generally carried out on a monthly basis and allow management to anticipate the year-end outcome (an estimate of final performance at the end of the year). In practice, this work is often performed using Excel, with the support of financial software directly connected to Excel, such as Hyperion, in order to quickly consolidate data from the various entities and monitor performance against targets.
Investment Decisions (CAPEX)
Investment decisions, or CAPEX (Capital Expenditures), are a core pillar of management control and financial strategy, as they enable a company to finance strategic projects while maintaining control over its resources. These expenditures are essential for growth and long-term competitiveness, as they allow the company to renew equipment, develop new activities, or improve operational efficiency: “Wealth generation requires investments, which must be financed and be sufficiently profitable” From Vernimmen, Corporate Finance, 6th edition.
The process generally begins with the identification of needs and projects by operational teams, who define the objectives, estimated costs, and expected impact on the business. The management controller then assesses the financial relevance of each project by evaluating the return on investment, the financing plan, and potential cost savings. These proposals are subsequently submitted to the Finance Department and then to Group Management for strategic validation, before being approved by the shareholder when amounts are significant (approval thresholds are defined within each company).
CAPEX is monitored throughout the year, as shareholders typically pay close attention to these expenditures. Indeed, in certain circumstances, it may be tempting to reclassify OPEX as CAPEX in order to artificially improve the company’s financial presentation, which makes strict monitoring essential.
Workforce Cost Control
Payroll cost management is another central aspect of management control, as it enables the company to monitor one of its main expenses while ensuring that human resources are used effectively to support strategy and operational performance. This process involves collecting workforce data from the Human Resources department on a monthly basis, then analyzing costs, identifying potential variances compared to the budget, and anticipating changes in payroll expenses based on operational needs, new hires, departures, or salary adjustments.
Effective payroll cost control is crucial to maintaining the company’s competitiveness and profitability. This is why it is closely monitored by management and shareholders to avoid any cost overruns or financial imbalances.
Why should I be interested in this post?
A position in management control is an excellent opportunity for any finance student looking to become familiar with corporate financial management and performance monitoring. It allows the development of strong technical skills, particularly in financial analysis, while also strengthening essential soft skills such as rigor, organization, and communication. This type of role also provides a comprehensive view of a company’s operations, as it involves close collaboration with all departments. Finally, working in management control is formative and can serve as a stepping stone toward careers in corporate finance, internal audit, or consulting.
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Useful resources
About Altice
Le rachat d’Altice Media, maison mère de BFMTTV et RMC, par l’armateur CMA CGM est finalisé
CMA CGM acquiert Altice Media, propriétaire de BFMTV : les détails de l’accord
Financial and management techniques
Vernimmen P., 2022, Corporate Finance, 6th edition
Alcouffe S., Boitier M., Rivière A., Villesèque-Dubus F., 2013, Contrôle de gestion sur mesure : industrie, grande distribution, banque, culture, secteur publique
Cappelletti L., Baron P., Desmaison G., Ribiollet F., 2014, Contrôle de gestion
About the author
The article was written in February 2026 by Maxime PIOUX (ESSEC Business School, Global Bachelor in Business Administration (GBBA), 2022-2026).
▶ Discover all articles by Maxime PIOUX.