Welcome to the 4th edition of Southeast Asia Forum
Southeast Asia, at the heart of the Indo-Pacific, stands out as one of the world’s most dynamic and strategic regions. In a context of redefining value chains and accelerating digital and energy transitions, this region is an essential partner for French companies.
With over 700 million inhabitants, a rapidly expanding middle class, and economies resilient to geopolitical tensions, it offers major opportunities in key sectors: infrastructure, decarbonization, innovation, cybersecurity, agri-food, and consumer goods.
The Forum on June 19, 2026, at the Senate invites you to decipher economic changes, anticipate trends, and meet the actors shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific, enabling you to conquer these markets.
Meet strategic partners during B2B networking sessions!
This Forum will also serve as a strategic platform to promote France’s economic attractiveness to major accounts seeking opportunities in Europe. The event provides a valuable opportunity to showcase French regions and attract investment projects.
Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to broaden your horizons and build strong collaborations with Southeast Asian countries!
JUNE, 19th, 2026, Paris
08:15 AM – Guests arrival
08:45 AM – Opening speeches
Gérard LARCHER, President of the Senate, read by Olivier HENNO, President of the France-Southeast Asia Friendship Group
Louis MARGUERITTE, Director, Business France
Sophie SIDOS-VICAT, President, THE FRENCH FOREIGN TRADE ADVISORS (CCEF)
Christophe CHHEANG, Secretary of State for Economic Diplomacy of Cambodia
Manothong VONGSAY, Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce of Laos
Nicolas FORISSIER, Minister Delegate to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, responsible for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness
09:30 AM – Economic Analysis and Business Climate: Anticipating Changes in Southeast Asia
Introduction by Benoît CLOCHERET, CEO, ARTELIA
Ana BOATA, Head of Economic Research, Allianz Trade
Arnaud BOURRUT LACOUTURE, Partner, LPA Law
Fabrice PERRONO, Regional IP Counsellor for ASEAN and India, INPI
Fanny LABARTHE, Deputy Director for Economic Relations and Partnerships, FRENCH TREASURY
10:15 AM - Innovation / Tech : AI, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Data Centers, Healthtech: What strategies can help conquer Southeast Asia and contribute to its digital revolution?
Introduction by Pham MINH TUAN, Executive Vice President, FPT GROUP, and CEO, FPT SOFTWARE
Norman VANHAECKE, CEO, CRADLE FUND
Alice BESOMI, Director Future Industries, EURAZEO
Fabian LORENZ, Managing Director, LUTHER LAW THAILAND
Marc ABENSOUR, French Ambassador to Malaysia, FRENCH EMBASSY IN MALAYSIA
11:00 AM – Industry : Southeast Asia, the big winner of the reorganization of international value chains?
Bruno MASCART, Managing Partner, Altios, CCEF
Fabrice THOMAZEAU, Group Communications and Marketing Director, IDEC ASIA
Stéphane WATIER, Global Manager of the Indian Units and Singapore Unit, AXON CABLE, CCEF
Vincent SCIANDRA, CEO, METRON
Jean-Luc DI PAOLA, Global External Affairs & Chief Sustainability Officer, VALEO
11:45 AM – Infrastructure & Transport : Development of infrastructure and energy transition, growth drivers for Southeast Asian economies
Karine DELVALLÉE, Regional Head for Southeast Asia and CEO Singapore, BNP PARIBAS, CCEF
Athip TANTIWORAWONG, CEO, INNOPOWER
Arnaud THIBAULT, Vice President – Global Network Management, CMA CGM
Jean-Pierre COUREL, Director of Strategy for Major International Projects, ARTELIA
Cyrille BELLIER, Geographic Director for the Orient Department, representing GROUPE AFD
12:30 – 2:OOPM – Networking lunch
2:00 PM – From wine to cosmetics: What is the demand for French products in a context of digitalized consumption?
Isabelle DUMORTIER, Marketing and International Trade Director, PAUL BAKERIES
Alexandra DELSART ITHURBIDE, International Marketing Director, SAVENCIA
Pierre MORVAN, Managing Director, TECH NATURE
Julien MAMEAUX, Business Development Director for Asia, MOËT HENNESSY
Damien DURAND, Director of Investments (EU) and Adviser to the Chairman, GROUPE CP
2:45PM – Closing remarks by Akli MELLOULI, Senator for Val-de-Marne, Vice-President of the France–Southeast Asia and France–Cambodia–Laos Friendship Groups, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces
3:00 PM – Masterclass “Setting Up in Southeast Asia”
Soreasmey KEBIN, CEO, CONFLUENCES
Nuntanart KRISNACHINDA, Director, BOARD OF INVESTMENT THAILAND – PARIS OFFICE
Fabian LORENZ, Managing Director, LUTHER LAW THAILAND
3:30 PM – Masterclass “Singapor-Johor : Special Economic Zone“
Fabian LORENZ, Managing Director, LUTHER LAW THAILAND
Eunice YEO, Project Officer (Paris), SINGAPORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD
Sai CHAO YONG, Senior Vice President for Group FDI Advisory, UOB GROUP
4:00 PM – Masterclass “Navigating Indonesian investment landscape“
Siti Tiefryani FAHLYAH, Director, Indonesia Investment Promotion Centre (IIPC) – London, BKPM – Ministry of Investment & Downstreaming of the Republic of Indonesia
Tarja KUOKKANEN, Senior Trade and Investment Expert, EU Desk, BKPM – Ministry of Investment & Downstreaming of the Republic of Indonesia
2:00 – 5:00PM – B2B meetings between French companies and Southeast Asian companies
This is a tentative programme, the time slots may be updated
Registration open until June 19, 2026.
LARCHER
FORISSIER
MARGUERITTE
ABENSOUR
SIDOS
LABARTHE
COUREL
BOATA
YEO
PERRONO
VANHAECKE
CRADLE FUND
BESOMI
LORENZ
BOURRUT LACOUTURE
MASCART
THOMAZEAU
WATIER
SCIANDRA
DI PAOLA
CHAO YONG
DELVALLÉE
THIBAULT
CLOCHERET
DUMORTIER
DELSART ITHURBIDE
MORVAN
MAMEAUX
DURAND
KEBIN
BELLIER
MINH TUAN
KRISNACHINDA
On the occasion of the visit of Nicolas Forissier, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, Business France and its partners invite you to join a business mission to Malaysia, at the heart of one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic markets. As a true ASEAN hub, Malaysia offers strategic access to more than 660 million consumers and strong opportunities in energy transition, Industry 4.0, digital technology and healthcare. This mission will enable you to meet qualified partners and decision-makers, gain visibility during key official events, and accelerate your projects in a supportive economic and institutional environment.
Why take part?
• Meet local partners, prospects and decision-makers through targeted B2B meetings
• Gain visibility among Malaysian economic and institutional ecosystems
• Accelerate your projects in a strategic ASEAN market
A key opportunity to structure or expand your presence in Southeast Asia.
Contact :
Mayeul Coulon-Berretrot
Chef de projet – Missions officielles
mayeul.coulonberretrot@businessfrance.fr
+33 1 40 73 32 08
Located at the heart of ASEAN, Malaysia offers a wealth of advantages: a strong rule of law, a skilled and multilingual workforce, English as the lingua franca, dense and modern infrastructure, sound public finances, and convenient air links providing easy access to every country in the region. Its diversified economy has become a benchmark in sectors such as aerospace, electronics, services, and digital technology. France maintains a strong presence there, notably through more than 3,000 French nationals living in the country, over 300 subsidiaries, and more than 350 French-owned businesses abroad (EFE). Which sectors offer the greatest potential for French businesses in the Malaysian market? What strategies should be adopted to approach this market effectively? This white paper is intended for French companies seeking to expand, export, or establish operations in Malaysia, a crossroads of business opportunities at the center of Southeast Asia and Oceania.
Located at the heart of Southeast Asia, Vietnam has recorded one of the region’s strongest growth rates, with GDP rising by an average of 5.4% over the past twenty years and expected to approach 7% in 2024. Since the reforms launched in the 1980s, Vietnam has become ASEAN’s fourth-largest economy. Its economy stands out for its strong appeal to foreign investors, attracting USD 36.6 billion in 2023, and for its high degree of openness to international trade, with 17 free trade agreements, including one with the European Union, and a trade-to-GDP ratio of 145%.
Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, has experienced remarkable economic growth in recent years, with its GDP nearly doubling in less than a decade. With an average growth rate of 3% to 4% per year, the country is now classified as an upper-middle-income economy. Following rapid industrialization in the 1970s and supported by a relatively resilient economy, Thailand has succeeded in rising to become one of the most developed economies in the ASEAN region.
Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation made up of more than 17,500 islands, has a population of 280 million and ranked as the world’s 16th-largest economy, with a GDP of USD 1.37 trillion in 2023. A key player in Southeast Asia due to its economic weight, demographic strength, and strategic position as a geostrategic crossroads, Indonesia continues to assert its regional leadership, particularly within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), whose General Secretariat is based in Jakarta. As the only Southeast Asian country that is a member of the G20, and host of the 2022 G20 Leaders’ Summit, Indonesia is also seeing its influence grow in international forums and on global issues. For all these reasons, strengthening relations and exchanges with Indonesia is of strategic importance for France, which places the country at the heart of the implementation of its Indo-Pacific strategy.
CONTACT US
Forum Asie du Sud Est 2026 / Southeast Asia Forum 2026
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