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The IFA Conferences in Brazil: Update from the first stop in Rio de Janeiro

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Country focus, Events; September 2, 2010
Photo credit: Fabio Chieppe

Photo credit: Fabio Chieppe

The first stopover for the series of conferences organized by the IFA and the Getulio Vargas Foundation (GVF) was on August 31 in Rio de Janeiro before a full house of stakeholders in Franco-Brazilian business relations. Some of those gathered included representatives from French and Brazilian companies (Crédit Agricole, Grupo Gol) as well as law firms such as Siqueira Castro.

Among the list of speakers was IFA Chairman and CEO David Appia, who touted the power of France’s innovation clusters and R&D investment opportunities in the country. He also singled out a number of Brazilian companies with successful businesses in France, such as Natura in cosmetics and Embraer in the aerospace sector. GVF professor Renato Flores sees France as a springboard for Brazilian investors looking for a foothold to sell to markets in Europe, Russia and China as well as Eastern Europe. France’s highly developed agricultural research agenda also provides attractive opportunities, notably in agribusiness, where research networks have already been established at the Agropolis campus in Montpellier.

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A look back at the 8th World Investment Conference in La Baule

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Events, Message from the Ambassador; June 8, 2010

The 8th World Investment Conference in La Baule saw Ernst & Young present its annual European Attractiveness Survey.

France’s ranking this year is notable for three reasons:

  • Second after the United Kingdom for the number of job-creating foreign investment projects, as well as for the total number of jobs;
  • First in Europe for the three key sectors for future competitiveness and growth: industrial projects, R&D projects and environmental technology projects;
  • Conversely, the Ernst & Young 2010 Survey also highlights that France is lagging behind Germany and the United Kingdom as a recipient of Chinese and Indian foreign investment projects.

The IFA’s promotional campaign, specifically targeting BRIC countries, unveiled earlier this year is already seeking to correct ignorance and misguided beliefs where they might exist, while the number of IFA personnel is also being increased in these parts of the world.

The new IFA office in Turkey and our participation at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum next week are part of this strategy.

David Appia
Chairman and CEO, Invest in France

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“A new way forward for Europe” – Closing sessions of the 8th World Investment Conference in La Baule, France

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Events; June 4, 2010

By Jonathan Gregson in La Baule - The closing keynote speech at the 8th World Investment Conference, held in La Baule, France, from June 2-4, 2010, was given by France’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Ms. Anne-Marie Idrac.

Ms. Anne-Marie Idrac observed that Europeans are over-pessimistic, looking at the problems rather than at the solutions. “The global economic crisis”, she declared, “can become an opportunity for Europe and for France”. Noting that France is ranked second or third in global FDI rankings, Ms. Idrac said that the challenge from ‘emerging’ economies like China, Brazil and Turkey must be welcomed, especially as they are now important inward investors into Europe.

In a comparison of Europe’s strengths to those of Asian and American countries, Ms. Idrac said that Europe has a unique combination of stability, dynamism and social balance, and that its competitiveness is based in the depth of the European market, high levels of education and skills, and its capacity for change and innovation…

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“We must press on with reforms” – An interview with Anne-Marie Idrac, France’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Events, France's image, Reforms; June 3, 2010

What are the sectors in which France and French companies are world leaders?

Anne-Marie Idrac:  France is very well known for having centers of excellence, and there are many sectors in which French companies have established a competitive advantage through their advanced technology, business systems and marketing skills. These would include, in my opinion, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness and value-added food production, and of course what France remains well known for throughout the world, its luxury goods sector.

But it is also important to remember that France has a highly diversified economy, combining strengths in both industry and services. Moreover, we are totally committed to develop new sectors in response to the fast-changing demands of today’s world. Among the priority sectors are those relating to the ‘green economy’, and developing the technologies and business systems needed to address the challenges of climate change. We are also continuing to build on our skills-base in IT and improve our centers of excellence in both biotechnology and nanotechnology based around sector-specific innovation clusters which act like magnets for best practice and greater competitiveness…

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Enhancing France’s economic attractiveness: An interview with David Appia, Chairman & CEO of the IFA

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Events; June 3, 2010

By Jonathan Gregson in La Baule  – As Chairman and CEO of the Invest in France Agency (IFA), David Appia had several reasons to be pleased with the outcome of the 8th World Investment Conference held in La Baule, in France, from June 2-4, 2010. Firstly, the findings of the latest European Attractiveness Survey conducted by Ernst & Young showed France retaining its position as the second most popular foreign direct investment destination in Europe after the United Kingdom.

“The survey allows us to see how we stand in relation to competitors”, he says, “and our relative market share increased slightly last year”.

More importantly, the survey ranked France top among European nations in terms of R&D activity, an area in which he says “the strategic stakes are very high.” Moreover, the job content of foreign investment projects in France is much higher than in other European countries such as Germany. That, he believes, says a lot about the attractiveness of France – even during this recent period when global flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) have slowed down…

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Is the ‘Saclay Plateau’ the best place in Europe for R&D?

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Events; May 31, 2010

May 20, 2010 marked the official ground-breaking of the new Kraft Foods European R&D center in Saclay (Paris region), a symbolic investment by the world’s second largest agri-food business to bolster its innovation capacities in France. But has Kraft made the right choice in opting for the Essonne département?

Watch the interview with Chuck Davis, Vice-President of R&D at Kraft Foods Europe (video)

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Shanghai 2010: Businesses and regions flying the flag for France

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Country focus, Events, France's image; May 19, 2010

France, a country synonymous with romanticism and culture, will be playing a leading role at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. But perhaps contrary to expectations, it will also be the occasion to highlight a lesser-known side of France, rich in technology, business and innovation. This is the France which has been attracting increasing numbers of Chinese businesses recently: with 18 investment projects announced in 2009, due to create 1,139 jobs in the long-run, France was the fourth leading European recipient of Chinese investment…

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Indian investors meeting in France

Posted by Invest in France Agency in Country focus, Events, Message from the Ambassador; April 16, 2010

The “Indian Investors Club”, created to support the development of Indian companies in France, met last week at the IFA’s headquarters in Paris. Around 60 companies and business people from France and India took part in this seminar, including 18 companies who travelled from India especially for the occasion. On the agenda were topics such as international mobility, corporate taxation and how to expand into the French market. 

India has come to the forefront in recent years as a treasured investment partner: over 80 companies from the country have established themselves in France, mostly in the software/IT services sector, the consulting, engineering and business services sector and the electrical, electronic and IT equipment sector. 

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