Essential Work, Essential Voices: Claire Pavis d'Escurac on Women's Advancement in Logistics

 

As a child, Claire Pavis d’Escurac—Global Head of Cross-Sell at CEVA Logistics—was inspired by her archaeologist grandmother’s adventures and the tales of Alexandra David-Néel’s explorations in Tibet. These stories of bold, trailblazing women left a lasting impression – and continue to shape her outlook today. 

Since then, her own path has been anything but linear, taking her from logistics to consulting to media, then back to logistics. Here, Claire reflects on the lessons she’s learned, the opportunities ahead, and her vision for accelerating progress for women in logistics. 

 

Can you tell us about your first steps in the logistics industry? 

After studying at ESSEC business school in Paris, I landed an internship with DHL in Miami. That experience quickly turned into a full-time role – and an enduring love for logistics! 

What led you back to logistics after your time in other sectors? 

After several years in logistics, I moved into consulting, where I worked across multiple sectors on challenges around operating models and digital transformation. Then life presented a new milestone: I became a mother. My maternity leave gave me space to reflect on what I really wanted from the next chapter of my career. Not long after, I joined a media group to help build a consulting team from the ground up. 

It was an exciting challenge, but when the opportunity to return to logistics came up a year later, I knew it was the right move. The role offered global scope, market focus, and the chance to launch new initiatives – bringing together everything I’d valued in my previous experiences. Finding a role that leveraged my experience while allowing me to return to logistics and be part of the CEVA adventure was incredibly appealing.

 

What does your current role at CEVA Logistics involve? 

I lead our Cross-Sell program, developing commercial synergies between different entities and verticals within the group. This means growing joint commercial opportunities with our parent company, CMA CGM, while also increasing cross-selling among divisions within CEVA. 

I work across all our products, solutions, departments, regions and sectors. So, in this role, I sometimes feel like a control tower with visibility across our global network. Success requires a blend of analytical and interpersonal abilities – strategic thinking to see the big picture and relationship-building to bring people together around common goals. 

 

How would you describe your experience as a woman in this industry, especially in a cross-functional role?  

It hasn't always been easy. Often, you're the only woman in the room, and you can feel like you don't share the same perspective as the majority. However, I've learned to be confident in my expertise and to speak up when I have something valuable to contribute.  

I think it’s important to find mentors and allies—both women and men—who recognize your capabilities and can help create opportunities. I've been lucky to have some supportive managers who gave me visibility and ensured my work was recognized. But it shouldn't all be on individual women to navigate these challenges. Organizations need to recognize these dynamics and work actively to address them.  

 

What concrete actions do you think could support women's advancement in logistics? 

It's not solely about hiring more women into leadership positions. It's equally about empowering women currently in our organization to feel confident, position themselves effectively, and increase their visibility. It's important to have a culture of diversity, but it's equally important to have concrete action plans to make it a reality. 

Workshops that reveal unconscious bias are valuable, as are mentoring programs connecting women with leaders who can guide their development. And importantly, we should address structural issues that make it harder for women to advance. Flexible working arrangements, fair parental leave policies, and equitable evaluation processes would benefit women specifically, but also create a better workplace for everyone. 

 

What inspires your advocacy for equality in the workplace? 

I only realized the world was biased towards women as an adult. In my childhood, I was surrounded by strong women and progressive men. I grew up listening to the adventures of my historian archeologist grandmother while my grandfather read me pieces of Alexandra David Neel's adventures in Tibet. And my father took Wednesdays off to care for me and my brother so my mother could focus on her career. My world was one of equality. And I would like everyone to experience that. 

Having a daughter has made me much more aware of how early gender biases begin. You see it everywhere, from how products are marketed differently for boys and girls to subtle messaging about roles and capabilities. Creating more equality is much broader than just workplace initiatives. It's about challenging societal biases from the beginning – and the trickledown effect will be compounded.  

 

What advice would you give to women looking to enter logistics or advance to leadership positions in the industry? 

Logistics is still a male-dominated industry – but that can be an exciting opportunity. The more women who join, the more we can reshape the culture and create space for future generations. That said, I want to be fair to my (male) colleagues: I’ve always felt respected for the work I do, and I know many of them are just as eager to see more women in the field. 

In my experience, the sector values professionals who can orchestrate complex operations and adapt quickly. These are skills that many women begin developing from a young age. Don't underestimate how valuable that can be. 

And perhaps most importantly, don't be shy about doing things your way. Too often, women try to adapt to existing cultures rather than leveraging their authentic strengths and perspectives. But diversity of thought and approach is exactly what organizations today need.