Fidji Simo: From a French Fishing Village to One of Silicon Valley's Youngest CEOs

Long before she became one of the most prominent leaders in Silicon Valley, Fidji Simo was a young girl in Sète, a small fishing town in southern France. Her father worked as a fisherman, and her mother was a seamstress. Although her family did not have financial means, they instilled in her a deep respect for education, discipline, and ambition.

As a child, Simo was drawn to storytelling and creativity. She spent much of her time reading, sketching, and writing. From a young age, she told her parents that one day she wanted to lead a global company. It was an ambitious goal, particularly for someone growing up in a working-class household in a rural coastal town, but it was a vision she never abandoned.

Simo became the first member of her family to graduate from high school and went on to attend HEC Paris, one of Europe’s top business schools. After completing her studies, she moved to California to begin an internship at eBay. That opportunity became the gateway to a distinguished career in the technology sector.