B20: Team Côte d’Azur partners Medef PACA to welcome the world's 150 leading CEOs
27 business leaders from the PACA region became "home ambassadors" to welcome the 150 CEOs who took part in the B20 alongside the G20
27 business leaders from the PACA region became "home ambassadors" to welcome the 150 CEOs who took part in the B20 alongside the G20 for Heads of State.
Business leaders from the PACA region "bent over backwards" on the evening of Tuesday 1st November and the morning of 2nd November to welcome the world's 150 leading CEOs who were meeting at the B20* which was held in Cannes on 2nd and 3rd November. They accompanied them from Nice airport to the Martinez Hotel, the venue for this Business Summit of the 20 most industrialised nations. A unique opportunity to discuss the region's assets and the priorities to be presented to the G20 Heads of State
A special welcome that extends the region's role as "world expo"
Since the 18th century, the French Riviera has played the role of "world expo". It has always been an international economic and cultural crossroads. Indeed, the region is:
- an international city (160 nationalities, over 120,000 foreign residents, 13 international schools) connected to the whole world (Nice Côte d'Azur airport is the largest international airport in France, after Paris with over 10 million passengers per year).
- a venue for international meetings (over 200 events such as the Cannes Festival, the NFC World Congress, the MIPIM, MIDEM, MIPCOM, MIPTV, MIPIM, Imagina, Gartner Symposium ITxpo...)
- a preferred destination for business (it is one of the world's top ten destinations for Business Tourism, one stay in five is for "business" or to attend a "conference")
"The 160 nationalities present in our region have enabled Team de Cote d’Azur to mobilise the international directors based on the French Riviera for Medef, this operation is a reflection of our region: an investment region open to the world. Jean-Pierre Mascarelli, Chairman of Team Côte d’Azur
It was therefore natural for the French Riviera to host the B20 summit. But also to extend its role as "world expo" by promoting interactions between the CEOs of the world's top 150 companies and Côte d'Azur-based economic leaders. So, Team Côte d’Azur, the Côte d'Azur's economic promotion agency, and Medef PACA mobilised 27 Côte d'Azur-based directors to welcome each of the CEOs arriving at the airport for the B20. Hence, the following meetings took place:
- Chris Baratt, Founder of Insight SiP, a company created in 2005 in Sophia which develops integrated electronic modules and Pablo Roberto Gonzalez Guajardo, CEO of Kimberly Clark
- Jalel Hamila, CEO Europe, Middle-East and Africa for Lumeta Solar (solar building), a company established in 2010 on the Côte d’Azur, and Ranbir Singh Butola, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd
- Ab Kuijer, President of the Riviera Business Club, an international association connecting over 1,000 people working on the Riviera, and Doug McKay, Vice-president International Organisations of Royal Dutch Shell
- Frédéric Bourratière, CEO of Wiktik, a company established in Sophia in 2009 which offers a free advertising website for professionals, and Peter Y. Solmssen, Executive Vice-President of Siemens AG
- Cyril Bataller, Senior Executive Partner of the Accenture R&D centre in Sophia, and Nathán Wolf Lustbader, Director General, International Cooperation and Economic Promotion for the Mexican foreign affairs ministry
- Ulrich Finger, Director of Eurecom, the engineering school and research centre for communication systems established in Sophia since 1991, and Hans-Peter Keitel, President of the BDI (Federation of German Industry)
- Yvon Grosso, President of the UPE 06 and delegations for Turkish and South Korean employers
"This exceptional meeting was the opportunity to discuss the benefits of doing business in France. Mr Keitel told me that he particularly appreciated the quality of the products and the French capacity for imagination. Ulrich Finger, Director of Eurecom
Far from the clichés tending to compare major international policy makers and local leaders, by spending the time to accompany these leading directors, within an hour, these company directors proved that it is now time for solidarity between small and large companies. "They showed their interest in the results of this summit where, for the first time, the economic world will contribute to political decisions that will be taken as part of the G20", explains Stéphan Brousse, President of Medef PACA
Unique discussions that underline the region's attractiveness
The 27 business leaders, transformed for an evening into "home ambassadors" were able to eradicate the preconceived ideas about France's weaknesses internationally and highlight the excellent return on investment for those who, like them, have chosen the PACA region to establish their head office or research centre.
Indeed, let us remember that the PACA region is one that welcomes international investments. For 5 years, the Alpes-Maritimes has been the leading French region in attracting foreign R&D facilities and in 2010, 53 % of businesses who set up in the region had come from abroad.
Some of the region's jobs are therefore already assured thanks to this influx of foreign companies who have chosen the PACA region for its attractiveness.
Business leaders who are already based in the region were therefore best placed to pass on this message and "sell" the region by explaining to the directors of the word's top companies that they have the necessary skills and business networks ready to welcome their investments but also to make those investments grow.
"By completing this mission, the "home ambassadors" have provided a link between the region's real economy and major decisions in world governance."
Stéphan Brousse, President of Medef PACA
In addition to the private discussions during the journeys between the airport and the Martinez Hotel, the 27 business leaders were all invited to participate in the B20 summit. All contributing tostrengthening discussions about the priorities to be presented to the G20 Heads of State to revive the economy.
* The Business 20 or B20 (http://www.b20.fr/) is a meeting bringing together representatives from employer organisations from the world's 20 most powerful nations. It is a forum for expression and an exchange of opinions by the business community at an international level. The companies and employer organisations respond to current issues by providing practical solutions.
En savoir plus : www.b20.fr
