Vallaud-Belkacem (pictured) held the position of minister of national education for higher education and research from 2014 to 2017. Prior to that, she was minister of women’s rights and the government spokesperson for the first government of François Hollande’s mandate.

In her new role, Vallaud-Belkacem will work with international public institutions, the business sector and scientific community.  

She will help public institutions to define their policies, work with businesses to better manage their corporate responsibility and sustainable development, and support Ipsos’ project to work more closely with the science sector in disciplines including behavioural science, neurosciences, data sciences and artificial intelligence.

Based in Paris, she will take up the role on 1 March 2018.

Didier Truchot, chairman and chief executive, Ipsos, said: "For more than 10 years, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem has been very active in French political life. Ipsos is dedicated to helping its clients to better understand society, markets and people. The integration of personalities like Najat plays an additional part to our project."

Vallaud-Belkacem said: "The study of international societal phenomena, the ever more diverse applications of scientific knowledge to improve understanding, and finally social innovation: these are topics which I will be thrilled to develop with our enthusiastic team."