France-Türkİye business forum
October 14th 2025
Business France Headquarters, Paris
France-Türkİye business forum
Large market just a 3-hour flight from Paris, Türkiye offers numerous opportunities for French businesses, as evidenced by the increasingly close economic ties between the two countries.
Trade in goods reached a record €23.4 billion in 2024, with French exports to Türkiye rising by 3.6% to €12.4 billion. France is Türkiye’s 6th largest supplier, and the diversity of goods exported by French companies reflects the variety of the Turkish industry: automotive, aerospace, capital goods, pharmaceuticals, agri-food, etc. These figures highlight the dynamism of domestic consumption and the increasing sophistication of Turkish industry, whose production ranks among the top in Europe in many sectors.
Despite facing the global economic slowdown like many other countries, the Turkish economy recorded a 3.2% growth rate in 2024 (following 5.1% in 2023). It was also affected over the past two years by a sharp rise in inflation, which peaked in May 2024 before beginning to decline after a return to orthodox economic policy in the second half of 2023.
Indeed, the Turkish economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience in recent years following several shocks that could have caused lasting instability. To understand the country’s ability to bounce back, one must look at its fundamentals: a population of 85 million, half of whom are under the age of 33; an export-oriented agri-food sector that ensures food self-sufficiency; a modern and diversified industrial base; a dynamic private sector driven by family-owned conglomerates; a solid banking system; a central geographic position between Asia and Europe; and strong commercial ties with the European Union, its main trading partner, with which it has maintained a customs union since 1996.
These assets represent real opportunities for French investors and exporters, who can benefit from a large, open, and dynamic market as well as a business culture that is similar to their own.
PROGRAM
SECTORAL AND CROSS-SECTORAL ROUND TABLES
Moderated by Arnaud FLEURY, economic journalist
Benoit TRIVULCE, Acting Chief Executive Officer, BUSINESS FRANCE
H.E. Mr. Yunus DEMİRER, Ambassador of Türkiye to France
Bekir POLAT, Vice-President, INVESTMENT AND FINANCE OFFICE OF TÜRKİYE
Jérôme BACONIN, Head of Regional Economic Service, FRENCH EMBASSY IN TÜRKİYE
Seltem İYİGÜN, Turkey & Middle East Economist, COFACE
Franck MEREYDE, Chairman of Executive Committee & Executive of the Board of Directors at TAV AIRPORTS, TAV AIRPORTS/ADP, President of CCEF Türkiye Section & President of CCIFT
Jinane KABBARA, Regional Intellectual Property Counsellor, Central Asia, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, INPI
Eren ARASAN, Partner, HARVEY ARASAN
Vedat KUMUŞOĞLU, Partner, RSM
Patrick POUPON, Board Member, TEB BNP PARIBAS
Bülent ÖZDİREKCAN, Partner, GIDE TÜRKİYE
Emmanuel VINCENT, President France, SAMPA OTOMOTIV
Deniz ELASLAN, Senior Corporate Affairs Leader, TURKISH AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES
Laurène WEIZMAN, CEO, DAUSSAN GROUP
Sami SAITI, Deputy General Manager, ORAU – ORHAN HOLDING
Pierre-Yves RABILLON, Marketing Director – Africa, Middle-East & Central Asia, ALSTOM
Yavuz AKKAYNAK, General Manager Paris, TURKISH AIRLINES
Fatiha JAUREGUY, Head of Shipping & Logistics Department, PORT OF MARSEILLE-FOS
Mustafa ERÖĞÜT, Board Member, ACIBADEM HEALTH GROUP
Aysun HATİPOĞLU POTGIETER, Head of Corporate Affairs Türkiye, SANOFI
Erdoğdu ÜLKEROĞLU, Managing Partner, SALUTE GROUP
Dr. Bilge KAĞAN ASKER, Health Group Director, AXA SİGORTA
Ozan ACAR, Vice-President, TRENDYOL
Alper ÜNAL, Country Director for Türkiye, ISITEC
Véronique PRIOUR, Country Director for Türkiye, BUSINESS FRANCE
3.00pm/6.00pm – B2B MEETINGS WITH EXPERTS
* This program is provided for information only and is subject to change
MODERATED BY

SPEAKERS

BUSINESS FRANCE

BUSINESS FRANCE TÜRKİYE

INVESTMENT & FINANCE OFFICE OF TÜRKİYE

TEB BNP Paribas

HARVEY ARASAN LAW FIRM

Chairman of Executive Committee & Executive of the Board of Directors at TAV Airports/ADP, President of CCEF Turkey Section & President of CCIFT

ACARVice President,
TRENDYOL

Regional Intellectual Property Counsellor, Central Asia, Eastern and Southeastern Europe
INPI

ELASLANCorporate Affairs Senior Leader,
TURKISH AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES

VINCENTPresident,
SAMPA FRANCE

RSM TURQUIE

SALUTE GROUP

GIDE TÜRKİYE

ISITEC

ACIBADEM HEALTH GROUP

SANOFI

ALSTOM

French Embassy in Türkiye

ORAU, ORHAN HOLDING

DAUSSAN Group

TURKISH AIRLINES

COFACE








