SOUTH EAST ASIA BUSINESS Forum
3rd edition
Positioned at the heart of the Indo-Pacific, the world’s growth reserve par excellence for the next few decades, Southeast Asia makes a major contribution to the region’s dynamism, playing a pivotal role between two oceans and carrying 20 to 30% of the world’s maritime freight traffic.
With growth rates traditionally well above the global average, Southeast Asia is the world’s 2nd most dynamic region, behind India and virtually on a par with China.
This makes the region France’s 2nd largest Asian partner and 6th largest customer. It boasts a young, entrepreneurial population of over 670 million, and an emerging middle class that is particularly connected and adopts new lifestyles in search of Western products.
This makes the region France’s 2nd largest Asian partner and 6th largest customer. It boasts a young, entrepreneurial population of over 670 million, and an emerging middle class that is particularly connected and adopts new lifestyles in search of Western products.
Highly integrated commercially thanks to numerous free-trade agreements, including its own through ASEAN, Southeast Asia is asserting itself as a central element in global value chains, on the lookout for new opportunities arising from Sino-American trade tensions, benefiting from the “China +1” strategy.
In addition to the security issues facing this region, Southeast Asia also faces a number of challenges, starting with the energy transition and sustainable development, in light of the commitments made to decarbonization and the ever-increasing need for energy to support industrialization and FDI. The infrastructure needs to support this development, particularly in urban areas, are also titanic, running into hundreds of billions of dollars a year. All these countries are betting on innovation – of which Singapore plays the role of showcase – to achieve technological leaps and ensure accelerated catch-up for their economies.
These major trends and current challenges in Southeast Asia represent key opportunities for French companies, whose market share in Southeast Asia – at 1.5% (2nd in Europe behind Germany) – still needs to grow. What’s more, the heterogeneity of the region’s countries in terms of size, population, culture, maturity and accessibility is undeniably one of Southeast Asia’s great strengths for companies: there’s certainly a market made for you!
Take part in the Southeast Asia forum to find out about opportunities in your business sectors and meet potential Southeast Asian business partners.
A Look Back in Pictures
MEET THE LOCAL KEY ACCOUNTS INVITED BY BUSINESS FRANCE
ON THE 12th FEBRUARY 2025
8:15 AM – WELCOMING PARTICIPANTS
Moderated by Arnaud FLEURY, business journalist
8:30 AM – Opening speeches
Didier BOULOGNE, Executive Vice President, Export, BUSINESS FRANCE
Hoang Phuong BUI, Vice Minister of Information and Communications of Vietnam
Laurent SAINT-MARTIN, Minister Delegate for Trade and French Overseas Citizens, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Republic of France
Sophie SIDOS-VICAT, President, National Committee of French Foreign Trade Advisors
9:00 AM - Economic Outlook and Business Environment in South-East Asia
Magali CESANA, Head of Bilateral Affairs and Business Internationalization, French Treasury
Catherine CHANTHABOUN, Head of International Desk Asia Pacific, CREDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANK
Yann FROLLO DE KERLIVIO, Director ASEANO, BUSINESS FRANCE
Françoise HUANG, Economist Asia-Pacific Zone, ALLIANZ TRADE
Adam KOULAKSEZIAN, Director CCIF Vietnam and CCIFI Asia-Pacific Coordinator
Olivier MONANGE, Partner, DS AVOCATS
9:45 AM – How to approach South East Asia: reorganizing industrial value chains and de-risking issues
Sam CHEONG, Managing Director & Head Group Foreign Direct Investment Advisory, UOB
Stefanus Ade HADIWIDJAJA, Chief Investment Officer, INA- Indonesia Investment Authority
Françoise NICOLAS, Advisor to the Asia Center, French Institute of International Relations (IFRI)
Ludovic POUILLE, Director of Economic Diplomacy, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
10:30 AM – Energy transition and urbanization: building a sustainable future
Matthieu BONNET, Executive Director – APAC Region, ARTELIA – CCE
Jean-Luc CHAPOTON, Group International Sales Manager, RATP DEV
Rohan SINGH, Managing Partner APAC, FINERGREEN
Stéphane WERMESTER, Vice President Sales Asia-Pacific, AXENS
11:10 AM – The new consumer wave in South East Asia
Frédéric BIRRER, Managing Director Europe, REPERTOIRE CULINAIRE
Damien DUHAMEL, Managing Partner Southeast Asia, EUROGROUP CONSULTING
Soriya JAMET, Marketing & Sales Export Manager, LACTINOV
Mathieu PECQUEUR, External Relations Delegate, COOPERL
Christian RAIMBAULT, General Manager, Brand Development, GROUPE HOLDER
Grégory SEITZ, Asia Pacific Brand Representative, CRISTEL
11:55 AM – Wine & Spirits market trends on the occasion of Wine Paris 2025
Julien MAMEAUX, VP Business Development, HENNESSY (Groupe LVMH)
12:10 PM – Transport and logistics: economic connectivity, a key issue in South East Asia
Stéphane DESCARPENTRIES, Strategy director, FM LOGISTIC
Philippe LOUIS-DREYFUS, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, Vice-Chairman, MEDEFI
Nicolas WEISS, Global Head Fashion, Beauty & Cosmetics, PSA BDP
Cédric VIRCIGLIO, Director of Strategic Steering in charge of International and European Relations and Forward Planning, HAROPA PORT
12:50 PM - Innovation, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity: what opportunities for French companies?
François BAILLARD,Chief Technology Officer, IRAYA ENERGIES
Marc LEPAGE, Principal IT Specialist, Asian Development Bank
Zhi Hong LOW, Regional Director, EDB
Olivier RAUSSIN, Co-founder & Managing Partner, FEBE VENTURES
Chu Thi Thanh Ha, Chairwoman, FPT SOFTWARE
1:30 PM – Closing remarks
François CORBIN,Special Representative of the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs for economic relations with ASEAN countries & Vice President, MEDEF INTERNATIONAL
1:35 PM – Networking cocktail lunch
3:00 PM – 6:30PM – B2B Meetings session
- Meetings with international sector experts Business France
- Meetings with event partners
- Meetings between participating companies
Schedule and content subject to change
BUSINESS FRANCE
National Committee of French Foreign Trade Advisors
French Treasury
CREDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANK
BUSINESS FRANCE
ALLIANZ TRADE
DS AVOCATS
UOB
INA- Indonesia Investment Authority
French Institute of International Relations (IFRI)
ARTELIA – CCE
RATP DEV
FINERGREEN
AXENS
REPERTOIRE CULINAIRE
LACTINOV
COOPERL
GROUPE HOLDER
CRISTEL
HENNESSY (Groupe LVMH)
FM LOGISTIC
Louis Dreyfus Armateurs
& Vice-Chairman
MEDEFI
photo credit Olivier Brunet
HAROPA PORT
PSA BDP
IRAYA ENERGIES
Asian Development Bank
EDB
FEBE VENTURES
FPT Softwar
MEDEF INTERNATIONAL
Registration is free of charge, although profiles are subject to validation by the teams.
Priority for face-to-face places is given to French companies with an export development project in Southeast Asia, and to Southeast Asian companies looking for French partners.
APFL PARTNERS
SOURCE OF ASIA
CONSTANTIN
PAUL
EDB SINGAPORE
MALAYSIA AIRLINES
On the occasion of the Southeast Asia Business Forum 2025, Malaysia is announcing the highly anticipated reopening of its direct Paris-Kuala Lumpur route!
To celebrate, exclusive discounts are available for participants on flights between Paris and Kuala Lumpur.Join us on February 12 to learn more and take advantage of this amazing opportunity!
CONTACT US
Formulaire Forum Asie du Sud-Est
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