News Partners Archives - CAFS KSA

CAFS receives AFEX delegation of French architects with Business France

CAFS — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:58:56 +0000

The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) welcomed a delegation of 80 French architects and professionals members of AFEX (Architectes Français à l’Export) and organised by Business France, on 31st October 2023, at the Federation of Saudi Chambers.

The CAFS was represented by Eng. Faiz Al-Elweet, Vice-President, and by Eng. Soufyan AlKabbani, Vice-President, who introduced the CAFS, its activities and the benefits offered to members.

The meeting also gave way to a presentation of AFEX, by Mrs. Madeleine Houbart, General Secretary, and to a presentation of New Murabba project, by Mr. Faisal Almassaad, Development & Design Management Senior Manager, and Mr. Faisal Alsarhan, EPMO & Stakeholder Management Manager, at the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC).

The meeting was concluded by a networking reception among the participants.

The post CAFS receives AFEX delegation of French architects with Business France appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS President speaks during ESL & Network’s conference in Paris on the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia

CAFS — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:37:26 +0000

Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), participated on 31st October 2023, in the conference organised by ESL & Network with ADIT in Paris, on the opportunities offered to French companies by the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia.

On this occasion, Dr. Ben Laden presented the incentives and reforms implemented by Saudi Arabia to attract foreign investors. He also presented the services proposed by the CAFS.

The event, which gather around 40 representatives of French companies, took place in the presence of H.E. Dr. Faha Al Ruwaily, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to France, and of Mrs. Amélia Lakrafi, Elected representative member of the French General Assembly and President of the France-Saudi Arabia Friendship Group at the French Parliament.

It gave way to a presentation of the Saudi Vision 2030 by H.E. Mr. Bertrand Besancenot, Senior Counselor at ESL & Network and former French Ambassador in Saudi Arabia, and to a presentation of the opportunities in the Saudi healthcare sector by Mr. Benoît Tamalet, ESL & Network.

During the event, it was announced that a French delegation in the healthcare sector would go to Riyadh in December 2023.

The post CAFS President speaks during ESL & Network’s conference in Paris on the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia appeared first on CAFS KSA.

Presidents of CAFS and of French Foreign Trade Counselors meet to discuss collaboration

CAFS — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 06:29:21 +0000

Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), and Mr. Jean-Philippe Bonnet, President of the French Foreign Trade Counselors (CCEF) in Saudi Arabia, met at the Federation of Saudi Chambers in Riyadh, on 20th September 2023, to discuss future collaborations between the two organisations.

The post Presidents of CAFS and of French Foreign Trade Counselors meet to discuss collaboration appeared first on CAFS KSA.

The CAFS participates in the meeting with H.E. Mr. AlKhoraryef in Paris

CAFS — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:24:53 +0000

2023-06-12 – The CAFS was represented by its President, Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, by its Vice-President, Eng. Soufyan AlKabbani, and by Mr. Basem AlHbshi, Director of External Relations, at the meeting organised by the MEDEF International for the visit of H.E. Mr. Bandar I. Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Paris (France). This meeting gave way to discussion on the opportunities offered by the Saudi Vision 2030 to French companies willing to invest in the Kingdom, especially in the mining and logistics industries. H.E. Dr. Fahad Al Ruwaili, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to France, also attended the meeting, as well as representatives of French companies.

The post The CAFS participates in the meeting with H.E. Mr. AlKhoraryef in Paris appeared first on CAFS KSA.

The CAFS meet the ESSEC Business School in Riyadh

CAFS — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 08:39:00 +0000

2023-06-07 – The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) was represented by its Vice-Presidents, Eng. Faiz AlElweet and Eng. Soufyan AlKabbani, to receive a delegation of the ESSEC Business School, one of the leading business schools in France and in the world.

The delegation of ESSEC included:

Professor Cedomir Nestorovic – Professor of International Marketing and Geopolitics, and Director of the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA Asia-Pacific
Mr. Bastien Blanc – ESSEC Alumni in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Mrs. Baptistine Mazzetto – Corporate Programs Designer

Several members of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) participated in the meeting, which gave way to a presentation of the CAFS by its Vice-President, Eng. Faiz AlElweet, to a presentation of the ESSEC Business School, and to a short masterclass by Professor Cedomir Nestorovic on Geostrategics.

The post The CAFS meet the ESSEC Business School in Riyadh appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS participates in meeting between Federation of Saudi Chambers and French Ambassador

CAFS — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 07:38:23 +0000

2nd April 2023 – The CAFS was represented by its President Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden during the meeting between the President of the Federation of Saudi Chambers, Mr. Hassan Al-Huwaizi, and the French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Mr. Ludovic Pouille, which led to discussion on how to increase the volume of trade and investment between the two countries.
Mr. Hussein Alabdelkader Seceretary General, Mr. Basem Al-Bbshi Executive Director, Mr. Waleed AlOrainan, as well as Mr. Laurent Estrade Head of the Economic Department of the French Embassy, and Mr. Rachid Boulaouine Country Director of Business France Saudi Arabia, also participated in the meeting.

The post CAFS participates in meeting between Federation of Saudi Chambers and French Ambassador appeared first on CAFS KSA.

ClinGroup Euromed speaks at the CCFA’s French Arab Summit

CAFS — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 05:20:10 +0000

Dr. Nadia Cheaib, Chairwoman of ClinGroup Euromed, participated as a speaker in the panel discussion on “Arab health ecosystem challenges in time of crisis”, during the 4th France-Arab Countries Economic Summit organised by the Chambre de Commerce Franco Arabe (CCFA) in Paris.

As a scientific #socialenterprise, she highlighted the importance of consideration for:
1. #socioeconomic fluctuations
2. #political and #refugees conditions and diseases migration and outbreak
3. #authorities #leadership policies in terms of #2030vision and #sdgs , requiring major #health reforms and #capacitybuilding
4. #lifestyle impacting incidence increase in #ncds
5. #synergy of #bigdata in #medicalresearch
6. #current authorities discussion of #mutual recognition procedures

The post ClinGroup Euromed speaks at the CCFA’s French Arab Summit appeared first on CAFS KSA.

Meeting between CAFS and CCFA

CAFS — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:23:20 +0000

01 March 2023 – Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), had the pleasure and honour of hosting a meeting with Eng. Abdulhakeem Al-Khalifa, Secretary General of the French Arab Chamber of Commerce (CCFA), to discuss future collaboration between the two organisations.

The post Meeting between CAFS and CCFA appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS meets MEDEF International to discuss partnership

CAFS — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 07:08:49 +0000

02 December 2022 – Representatives of CAFS and MEDEF met in Paris to discuss future collaboration between the two organisations.

The post CAFS meets MEDEF International to discuss partnership appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS promotes Saudi Arabia during the Forum Francophone des Affaires

CAFS — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 06:59:02 +0000

01 December 2022 – H.E. Dr. Fahad Al–Ruwaily Ambassador of the Saudi Arabia to France, and Mr. Steve Gentili President of the Forum Francophone d’Affaires, organized a seminar on “Investing in Saudi Arabia” at the Saudi Arabian Residence, in Paris, on December 1st 2022.

The event was attended by 30 guests including diplomats, business leaders.

CAFS was represented by Eng. Soufyan Al-Kabbani Vice-President, who gave a short introductory speech on CAFS objectives and activities.

The post CAFS promotes Saudi Arabia during the Forum Francophone des Affaires appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS meets French “Security Day” delegation

CAFS — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 06:47:16 +0000

01 December 2022 – The CAFS, represented by its President Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, was pleased and honored to welcome the French delegates participating in “The Security Day” organised by Business France in Saudi Arabia.

The meeting took place with the participation of His Excellency Mohamed AL ATHEL, Deputy Governor of GAMI for procurements, Engineer Walid ABU KHALED, CEO of SAMI, and members of the Executive Committee of the CAFS.

The post CAFS meets French “Security Day” delegation appeared first on CAFS KSA.

Mission CCI France UAE meets the CAFS in Riyadh

CAFS — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 17:45:00 +0000

22 November 2022 – The CAFS was pleased to support the organisation of CCIF France UAE’s mission in Riyadh, and to meet the delegated who came to discover the opportunities that Saudi Arabia offers to French companies.

We look forward to deepening the cooperation with the French Embassy, Business France, CCI France UAE, the CCEF, and all French companies interested in doing business in Saudi Arabia.

The post Mission CCI France UAE meets the CAFS in Riyadh appeared first on CAFS KSA.

First prospective mission of CCI France UAE to Riyadh

CAFS — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 06:30:00 +0000

22 November 2022 – The relations between the Saudi Arabia and UAE are deep-rooted and are a prime example of cooperation on numerous economic areas of activities in the GCC.

For the first time, CCI France UAE organized a mission in Riyadh to better understand the needs and business opportunities in Saudi Arabia.

Members of the delegation were: Terry Antoinette Managing Director at DTOS International Middle East, Naoile EL-AZZOUZI Country Manager EGG MEA at EGG Events, Olivier Peulvast Chief Brand Officer EGG Group, Christian Bejjani Regional General Manager EI-Technologies MENA, Yves-Michel Gabay Managing Director MEA & SEA regions, Benoit De TURCKHEIM Vice President Export chez MasterGrid, Benjamin Ogrizek Managing Director Robertet Middle East at Robertet Group.
This delegation was organised in partnership with Business France, Les Conseillers du Commerce extérieur de la France, RATP Dev, Coface.

The post First prospective mission of CCI France UAE to Riyadh appeared first on CAFS KSA.

Business lunch between CAFS and Business France

CAFS — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 18:28:38 +0000

CAFS vice-presidents, Eng. Faiz Al-Elweet and Eng. Soufyan Al-Kabbani, hosted a business lunch with Business France, attended by Ms. Rafaella Silvetti, Director Inward Investment Middle East Area, Business France, and Mr. Rachid Boulaouine, Country Manager KSA Business France. During the meeting subjects of common interest: promoting, developing business relationship between the countries were discussed.

The post Business lunch between CAFS and Business France appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS meets French MEDEF delegation on the mining sector

CAFS — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 18:31:13 +0000

02 July 2022 – The Federation of Saudi Chambers, represented by the Saudi-French Business Council, headed by Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of CAFS, participated in the meeting held at MEDEF International, about investment opportunities in the mining sector in Saudi Arabia.

The meeting took place in the presence of HE Dr. Fahad Al-Ruwaili Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to France and Mr. Musaed Al-Daoud undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Development, representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Investment, and French companies interested in the mining sector in Saudi Arabia have attended.

The post CAFS meets French MEDEF delegation on the mining sector appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS participate in Business France’s workshop on Saudi water sector

CAFS — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 18:35:43 +0000

CAFS Vice Presidents Eng. Faiz Al-Elweet and Eng. Soufyan Al-Kabbani as well as other CAFS members such as Mr. Hassan Al-Jabri and Mr. Bassam Hamade and others have participated in a workshop on the water sector in the Kingdom in coordination with the Business France office of the French Embassy in Riyadh.
The workshop was part of the forum “Saudi-French strategic partnership for a better sustainable development in water and waste management”, organized by Business France and the French Embassy in collaboration with Saline Water Conversion Corp. SWCC, the Saudi Water Partnership Co., the National Water Co. and the Saudi Investment Recycling Co. SIRC.

The post CAFS participate in Business France’s workshop on Saudi water sector appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS hosts the French MEDEF delegation on the entertainment sector

CAFS — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 18:40:24 +0000

02 June 2022 – CAFS hosted a meeting with the participants of the business mission organised by the MEDEF International for companies in the entertainment sector.

This delegation to Saudi Arabia took place from 29 to 31 May 2022, was led by Mr. Laurent GERMAIN President of the France-Saudi Business Council (French side) and president of MEDEF International, and CEO of Egis, with the participation of Mr. François TOUAZI and Mr. Régis MONFRONT, Vice-Presidents of the France-Saudi Business Council (French side).

The objectives of this mission trip were to:

Discuss with the main public authorities in charge of entertainment in the Kingdom (Ministry of Culture, General Entertainment Authority (GEA), Public Investment Fund (PIF), etc.); gain a better understanding of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment strategy and priorities; meet the main representatives of the Saudi private sector; present French expertise in the field of entertainment activities in Saudi Arabia.

The post CAFS hosts the French MEDEF delegation on the entertainment sector appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS organises the Saudi-French Business Forum on healthcare

CAFS — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 06:52:41 +0000

24 October 2021 – The Saudi-French Business Council (CAFS) organized the Saudi-French Business Forum on the healthcare sector, at the headquarters of the Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce, in Riyadh.

The post CAFS organises the Saudi-French Business Forum on healthcare appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS participates in French-Saudi Forum organised by Saudi Ministry of Investment and MEDEF in Paris

CAFS — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 07:56:41 +0000

23 September 2021 – The CAFS participated in the French-Saudi Business Forum, organised in Paris by the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the MEDEF International.

The event was chaired by Mr. Laurent Germain, MEDEF international, and Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS). HE Mr. Franck RIESTER, Minister Delegate for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, HE Eng. Khaled AL-FALEH Saudi Minister of Investment, and HE Dr. Fahad AL-RUWAILY Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to France, also participated in the forum.

The highlight of the forum was the signing of two MOU’s by HEC Paris and INSEAD, the best French business schools. Both schools plan to increase their presence in Saudi Arabia, with greater research cooperation and welcoming more Saudi students.

The event was symptomatic of the extremely strong economic cooperation between the two countries and the rapid intertwining of the two economies. About twenty leaders of Saudi companies and financial institutions travelled to Paris in the delegation led by the Saudi Minister of Investment, Eng. Khaled Al-Faleh, to participate on September 23 in the France-Saudi Arabia Investment Forum organized by Medef International, with 63 French decision-makers.

The post CAFS participates in French-Saudi Forum organised by Saudi Ministry of Investment and MEDEF in Paris appeared first on CAFS KSA.

President of CAFS meets MEDEF in Paris

CAFS — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:56:53 +0000

10 September 2021 – A meeting was held at MEDEF International in Paris, France, between the President of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), Dr. Mohamed ben Laden, and MEDEF officials to discuss modalities and timing of the next visit to Saudi Arabia.

The post President of CAFS meets MEDEF in Paris appeared first on CAFS KSA.

Saudi Arabia and France strengthen business, trade relations in line with Vision 2030 investment plans

CAFS — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 16:30:00 +0000

RIYADH: A French delegation on a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia has expressed high hopes for the Kingdom’s future through investment opportunities in emerging sectors and enhanced bilateral relations.

With direct investments amounting to more than $4.37 billion, France has become one of Saudi Arabia’s largest investors.

“We are really convinced that Saudi Arabia has a very promising market for French companies,” Laurent Germain, chairman of the MEDEF International, and President of France-Saudi Arabia Business Council (French side), told Arab News during his fourth mission to the Kingdom.

“The Saudi economy is robust, and the growth forecast for the next 10 years is very promising.”

Mr. Germain pointed out, during leading the visiting delegation to Saudi Arabia, that the digital and healthcare sectors had particularly caught France’s eye, calling it the “new economy” and he said French companies were committed to increasing and diversifying their investment in the Saudi economy.

“We have a lot of startups and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in France specialized in high-value technologies, and the objective is for them to have more access to the Saudi market,” he added.

Last year, the MEDEF delegation included 100 representatives of 80 French companies, having “solid” expertise in many sectors, including tourism, healthcare, and entertainment.

The delegation was received by Dr. Khaled Al-Yahya secretary-general of the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC), on a three-day trip to meet with Saudi ministries, government entities, and French companies based in the Kingdom.

Mr. Germain said: “What was clear in the discussions was that all the ministries now have a clear strategy, and clear targets. For the Ministry of Tourism having 100 million visitors (by 2030), for the energy ministry to have 50 percent of the energy produced through renewables, and now each ministry has an action plan. And what we discussed is how the French firms can help the different ministries in order to achieve these goals.”

The Council of Saudi Chambers CSC has been working alongside MEDEF International – a French non-profit organization – toward enhancing the role of the foreign private sector by developing its strategies in line with Vision 2030.

Mr. Francois Touazi vice chairman of the MEDEF International and vice president of France-Saudi Business Council (French side), said: “We’re also here to have an update. Despite the (corona virus) COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia was very active, and we have been very impressed by all the projects that have been announced – the Line, for example, the plans to transition to hydrogen – we’re very excited to be part of this new adventure.”

The transition to renewable energy is a new undertaking of Saudi Arabia and part of its goals for sustainable development strategies under Vision 2030.

“This is a sector where the French firms have great expertise. Both the big companies like Electricite de France (EDF), Engie, and others,” Mr. Germain said.

“But we also have SMEs and startups very much advanced on this issue and the combination of both can bring a very interesting offer to the Saudi market.

“I think we have very clearly identified the different sectors where the tenders will be issued, because what is key for the companies is to know about the projects, about the timelines, the tenders, when the tenders will be out so that they can prepare themselves to be effective.”

The MEDEF recently signed a framework agreement with the Saudi investment ministry (MISA) to boost bilateral investment relations and support long-term partnerships in emerging sectors, including tourism, healthcare, and entertainment.

“Through the meetings we have had during that delegation, we have a clear view on what the projects are going to be, when the tenders are going to be issued, and what the criteria are for the French companies to win the tenders,” he added.

Armed with this information, the French delegation will return to France and inform private companies of what will enable them to win bids in order to successfully penetrate the Saudi market.

“The financing of the projects of Vision 2030 have been confirmed and this gives visibility to the French companies and motivates them to invest more into the Saudi market,” Germain said.

On the other hand, Plans to arrange a Saudi delegation for France to meet its counterparts and encourage SMEs are in the pipeline, according to Eng. Faiz Al-Elweet vice president of the Saudi-French Business Council.

On French-Saudi ties being possibly affected by the French elections next year, Mr. Germain said: “France recognizes all the potential that Saudi Arabia has in the region, but also in the world.

“It is very much aware that Saudi Arabia is now a key player of the G20, that the growth forecast in Saudi Arabia is very strong, that there is political will in the diversification of the economy of Saudi Arabia, that this is a tremendous opportunity for French companies, and that’s why there will be a continuity whoever wins the presidency.”

Also, The mission will also be visiting Jeddah for talks with officials and business leaders there.

The post Saudi Arabia and France strengthen business, trade relations in line with Vision 2030 investment plans appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS organises Saudi-French Business Forum in Riyadh

CAFS — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 11:13:00 +0000

28 January 2020 – The Saudi-French Business Forum was held at the headquarters of the Council of Saudi Chambers, in the presence of His Excellency the Governor of the General Authority for Foreign Trade, of the Ambassador of the Republic of France in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, of the Secretary-General of MEDEF International, and a number of government officials and Saudi and French business owners.

The CAFS was represented by its Chairman, Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden.

The most important points that were discussed and raised during the conference were:

His Excellency the Governor of the General Authority for Foreign Trade Abdul Rahman bin Ahmed Al-Harbi stressed the development witnessed by the Saudi-French economic relations, which made France the ninth trading partner of the Kingdom, with a trade exchange volume of 10.4 billion dollars in 2018.
The volume of French investments in the Kingdom increased by 140% for the year 2019 AD compared to 2018, to reach $23.8 billion and the number of 259 projects, which made France the third place among the countries investing in capital in the Kingdom.
Emphasizing the reforms undertaken by the Kingdom to improve the business environment, which made it ranked first in the world among the most improved economies in the ease of doing business reforms according to the World Bank report for the year 2020.
Emphasis on the development and modernization of many systems such as the franchise system and the e-commerce system, in addition to the Kingdom’s progress in the “starting a business” index, where 103 salaries jumped from 141 to rank 38 thanks to the efforts of reforms and improvement of the business environment and the unification of the efforts of government agencies and partnership with The private sector and international partners, as well as empowering Saudi women in all fields.

Emphasizing that the new and promising investment sectors in the Kingdom such as chemicals, tourism, entertainment, communications, e-commerce, privatization and mining,
The forum’s contribution to creating more opportunities for trade and investment partnerships, localization of industry, and knowledge transfer to meet the aspirations of the two countries.
The Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers, Dr. Sami bin Abdullah Al-Obaidi, expressed his aspiration that the forum would contribute to creating more strategic partnerships in the economic sectors enjoyed by countries such as industry, renewable energy, health, tourism, and agriculture, praising the role of the Saudi-French Business Council in supporting economic relations between the two countries. the two countries.
The head of the Saudi side in the Saudi-French Business Council, Dr. Muhammad bin Laden, confirmed that the visit of the French trade delegation to the Kingdom comes at a time when it is witnessing major economic and social transformations thanks to Vision 2030, on which the Kingdom is betting on completely reforming its economic model, as it works to double its economic position and wealth. Through economic diversification, reducing dependence on oil, strengthening its position as a global logistics center linking three continents, and paying attention to artificial intelligence, the tourism sector and increasing cultural and social openness.
Emphasizing that the great opportunities available to French companies in the projects of Vision 2030 and under stimulating investment laws, in sectors such as technological innovation, aviation, transportation, environment, energy efficiency, health, agriculture and food.
Frederique Sanchez, head of the French Federation of Employers and Head of the French side in the Joint Business Council, confirmed that the French trade delegation includes 60 companies working in various economic sectors, the most important of which are finance, construction, infrastructure, consultancy, transportation, hotels and events, and it seeks to transfer its expertise and capabilities to the Saudi market, in line with With the directions of Vision 2030.
Emphasizing that the French Employers Association (MEDEF), which constitutes about 75% of French companies in all sectors, is working to promote long-term and sustainable partnerships with its counterparts in the Kingdom in partnership with the Council of Saudi Chambers and the Saudi-French Business Council.
Emphasizing that the aim of this meeting is to enhance France’s participation with its great expertise in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which is a model for efforts to diversify the economy, especially in the areas of local content, job creation and training for Saudi youth.
He affirmed their desire to work with the Saudi private sector to build and enhance its capabilities to contribute effectively to economic development, noting that the forum discusses the main issues that affect companies such as local content and the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics center and industrial zones.
The Ambassador of the Republic of France to the Kingdom, Francois Gouyette, affirmed that business leaders in France are looking forward, with their Saudi partners, to contribute to the economic development of the Kingdom and to transfer their expertise in the fields of technology, innovation and training, pointing to the economic and social changes that the Kingdom is witnessing with Vision 2030, and economic reforms aimed at improving the business environment, which It made French investors double their investments as a result of the ease and speed of the procedures.
Two workshops were held after the end of the general economic session of the Saudi-French Forum, where the first was entitled: (The Kingdom is an International Logistics Center), and the second was entitled: (Industrial Localization).
The French business delegation also visited His Excellency the President of the Public Investment Fund and were briefed on the programs offered by the Fund and its investment projects.
A tour of the historic Diriyah and Turaif area was also arranged for the French delegation, where they learned about the cultural and civilizational depth of the region.
The French delegation also met with His Excellency the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir. 18. The visit of the French delegation to the province of Al-Ula and to see the heritage monuments (Madain Saleh) and a meeting with the CEO of the Royal Commission for the province of Al-Ula, and to see the investment opportunities in the region.

The post CAFS organises Saudi-French Business Forum in Riyadh appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS holds its 40th joint meeting in Paris

CAFS — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 15:12:00 +0000

20 October 2018 – The 40th joint meeting of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) took place at the Club Interallié in Paris.

It brought together members of the CAFS and of MEDEF International, its partners in France. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the CAFS.

It gave way to the presentation of the CAFS Activity Report, as well as to the signature of several MoUs between Saudi and French companies.

The post CAFS holds its 40th joint meeting in Paris appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS holds meeting in Paris on the occasion of the visit of H.R.H Crown Prince

CAFS — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 12:03:00 +0000

9 April 2018 – The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) organised its 39th joint meeting at the MEDEF headquarters in Paris, on the occasion of the visit to Paris of H.R.H. Mohammed Ben Salman, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and President of the Council for Economic Affairs of the Kingdom Saudi Arabia.

The meeting took place in the presence of H.E. Majed Al Qasabi, Saudi Minister of Trade and Investment, of H.E. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, State Secretary to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and of Mr. Pierre Gattaz, President of MEDEF.

This event was an opportunity to discuss Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification strategy as part of its “Vision 2030”, to understand the evolution of the business environment and seize development opportunities for French companies in the first economy of the Gulf.

After a plenary session from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., a sectoral workshop on water and agriculture in the presence of H.E. Mr. Abulrahman Al Fadley, Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture was organized from 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

French companies were also able to discuss with the many heads of Saudi private and public companies, such as the leaders of Aljomaih, Bahri, Dussur, SABIC, SAPTCO, or Zamil Group.

At the end of the meeting, a lunch cocktail offered by Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Franco-Saudi Business Council (CAFS) took place at 1 p.m. at the Cercle de l’Union Interallié.

The post CAFS holds meeting in Paris on the occasion of the visit of H.R.H Crown Prince appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS holds Saudi French Business Forum in Riyadh

CAFS — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 12:52:00 +0000

12-13 October 2015 – The 2nd Saudi-French Business Opportunities Forum was held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital, on Monday and Tuesday October 12th and 13th, 2015.

The French delegation of company directors, co-organized by MEDEF International and Business France, was led by Mr. Jean-Louis CHAUSSADE, CEO of Suez and co-chair of the CAFS. On the Saudi side, this Forum was co-organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and by the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), chaired by Dr. Mohamed BEN LADEN.

This high-level business forum took place in the exceptional presence of His Excellency Manuel VALLS, Prime Minister of the French Republic, and of several Saudi and French Ministers..

This event mainly revolves around four particularly promising sectors:

Sustainable cities & Transport
Health
IT systems & security
Agribusiness

Both the scale and level of expected participation on the Saudi and French sides made this a unique event. The event was organised as a forum and offered exceptional networking opportunities with private and public Saudi companies.

The post CAFS holds Saudi French Business Forum in Riyadh appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS organises a press conference

CAFS — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 13:01:00 +0000

13 September 2015 – Press conference organised by the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), in preparation of the Saudi French Business Forum and to announce the launch of the new CAFS website. The CAFS was represented by its Chairman, Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden.

Speech by Dr. Ben Laden:

“First of all I would like to thank his Excellency the ambassador for hosting this meeting and all the journalists for their presence. It is important to say that the second Forum for Business Opportunities is organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and with the active collaboration of the Council of Saudi Chambers and the Saudi-French Business Council CAFS. I would also like to thank all the French organizers from the Ministry of Economy and Business for the exerted efforts to make this Forum a success. I have to say that the first Forum held in 2013 addressed the Kingdom’s needs in infra-structure projects. It was clear that France had an important share un these projects, for example and not limited to, the Riyadh public transportation projects including subway and buses, Kingdom-wide water-supply works.

But the headlines of our next Forum, in addition to the previous ones, for energy projects, reflect the current approach of the Kingdom and its economic policies regarding:

The Diversification of the sources of income through expanding the industrial and economic base.
The use of new technologies and information and their establishments.
Switching to a knowledge-based economy.
Providing training and quality education to create business opportunities for the Saudi youth.
Taking care of the small and medium size companies as they are the cornerstone of the economic structure.

I will let the details of the Forum to Mr. Roman Keraval to state the names of some participants from both sides.

I would like to talk about the role of the Business Councils in general and the Saudi French Business Council in particular as a link between the business communities in both countries.

Developing and enhancing relationships between the two work communities and informing the representatives and participants of both sides about the economic chances.

Encouraging exports, exchanging goods and services, and organizing exhibitions in both countries.
Cooperate and communicate with the responsible parties of the two countries to improve the atmosphere of co-operation and facing obstacles disturbing business in different ways.

(I would like to remind you that during the meeting of his Excellency, the Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr. Tawfiq AlRabiah and the French Foreign Minister, in June of last year through the works of the joint committee, his Excellency Dr.Tawfeek talked about the difficulty to get Schengen visa for businessmen, the slow progress of the procedure for sighting its application and its validity. The Minister Mr. Laurent Fabius immediately addressed his Excellency to issue visas for five years, or as long as the passport is valid and it was immediately applied. I hope that the Kingdom will move forward in this direction to make it easier for French businessmen to get visas and allow commercial visits for one or two years with multiple entries in order to benefit the business sector in both countries.

Encouraging the construction of economic projects in both countries by identifying the best available sources for funding and offering services for businessmen interested in these projects.
Working on settling commercial disputes that may arise between businessmen in both countries in a friendly way.
Developing continuous training programs, technology and knowledge transfers.
I have a message to Saudi businessmen: there is no doubt that although France is the largest market in the region, we do not have to see it from this perspective only. France is also an industrial developed country that is ready to do business in our Arab world and offers opportunities of investment that can be used in the Kingdom.

On the other hand, my message to French businessmen and companies would be that the largest market in the area is the Kingdom. The incentives offered by our government for funding industrial projects are the best compared to neighboring countries, the rate of taxes for foreign investors is fractional and constant, and describing all the positive aspects would be a long task. My advice to our French friends is to be on the field and run their administrations and companies near their clients, i.e. here in the Kingdom not from France or any regional administrations outside the Kingdom. Also they have to understand the future vision of the Kingdom for its economy and priorities to make our meetings useful for both countries.

Finally, on behalf of my colleagues in the Saudi-French Business Council, and in accordance with the new Executive Rule of foreign Business Councils, I would like to announce that the Saudi French Business Council CAFS website will be launched during the Forum .The website address is www.cafs.org.sa.

In addition to the council’s news, its presentation, its members and its agenda, we wanted this website to participate in offering opportunities for the Saudi students who are studying in France or those who finished their studies there to put their personal CV on the CAFS website if in case they are looking for a job or a summer training with French companies in the Kingdom, as some universities insist on students’ training in companies during their scholar curriculum.

The French spouses of French expatriates in the Kingdom can likewise upload their personal CV on the Council Website in case they are looking for a job.

Of course the site is in French for now, but it will be launched in three languages: Arabic, French and English.

Thank you for your attention.“

The post CAFS organises a press conference appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS holds meeting in Paris for the visit of H.E. Saudi Minister of Commerce

CAFS — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 13:10:00 +0000

24 June 2015 – The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) held a meeting in Paris, attended by His Excellency, Dr. Tawfiq AL-RABIAH, Minister of Commerce and Industry for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The meeting was organised on the occasion of the Paris visit of His Royal Highness, the Prince Mohamed Bin Salman, Deputy Crown Prince, Minister of Defense, and chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This meeting, co-chaired by Mr. Jean-Louis CHAUSSADE (MEDEF International) and Dr. Mohamed BEN LADEN (CAFS), brought into focus the priority areas of cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia. Particular importance was placed on the field of healthcare, agriculture, and housing. It also allowed for diligent preparation of the 2nd Saudi-French Business Forum, which will be held in Riyadh on the 12th and 13th October 2015.

The Minister of Commerce and Industry reminded the attendees of the excellent relations between Saudi Arabia and France.

The French ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Bertrand BESANCENOT, also drew attention to the strong Saudi-French political and commercial convergence, recalling that the French president’s visits in May of 2105 affirmed the qualitative leap in their bilateral relations. Moreover, on that same day, different contracts were signed between France and Saudi Arabia, amounting to a total of 12 billion dollars.

Mr. Imad AL-ABDULQADER, Marketing Director of SAGIA, then gave an overview of the diversification strategy for the Saudi Arabian economy, which is based on three priority sectors: healthcare, transport, and industrial equipment, all three also being outstanding areas for French companies.

Mr. AL-DUBAIKHI, Chairman of Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Co. (SALIC), the powerful farm investment fund established in 2011, presented ambitious Saudi investment objectives in the Agri-food sector.

The chairman of The Care Group, Mr. AL-DUKAIR, emphasized the excellent initiative on the part of the Saudis in the healthcare sector, an area that represents 5% of the country’s GDP. Finally, the Minister of Housing’s presentation clearly expressed the very high demand for housing in Saudi Arabia, and consequently, the need for urban construction.

More than ever, Saudi Arabia appears to be a country open to French investors, and this morning created a moment where the companies present came to a better understanding of that fact while being able to ask the speakers questions.

The post CAFS holds meeting in Paris for the visit of H.E. Saudi Minister of Commerce appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS joins forum “Living & Working in Saudi Arabia” in Paris

CAFS — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:15:00 +0000

12 June 2015 – The Forum “Living and Working in Saudi Arabia” was held in Paris on Friday, June 12th, 2015. This event was organized conjointly by UBI France and the French Embassy in Riyadh, with participation from the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) and the Arabian section of the CCEF.

This forum, which is intended to be reproduced, is aimed principally at the human resources directors of French companies, and prospective expatriates to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with its main goal being to inform them in a comprehensive and objective way about the working and living conditions in Saudi Arabia. This forum forms a large part of the development plans for our economic presence in the country.

The post CAFS joins forum “Living & Working in Saudi Arabia” in Paris appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS delegation visits Rouen and Chantilly

CAFS — Mon, 25 May 2015 13:19:00 +0000

25-28 May 2015 – A delegation of members of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), led by its Chairman, Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, visited Rouen and Chantilly, in France.

The program of this visit was the following:

Tuesday, May 26th, 2015

Meeting of CAFS members with the French companies at MEDEF
Opening address by Dr. Mohamed BEN LADEN, Chairman of the CAFS, and Mr. Jean-Louis CHAUSSADE, CEO of Suez Environnement & director of Saudi-French Business Council
Attendance of Mr. Bertrand Besancenot, French ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Dr. Ali Al-Qarni, Chargé d’Affaires for the Royal embassy of Saudi Arabia in Paris
Exchanges between French and Saudi businessmen

Wednesday, May 27th, 2015

Meeting at the French Ministry of Agriculture as organized by the MEDEF, with the French Minister of Agriculture, Stéphane Le Foll
Visit to the Château de Chantilly and the Living Museum of the Horse
Meeting with French companies based in the Picardie region

Thursday, May 28th, 2015

Trip to Normandy (Rouen-Caen) and a meeting with the president of the region

The post CAFS delegation visits Rouen and Chantilly appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS holds a meeting in Paris during the visit of Crown Prince

CAFS — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 14:21:00 +0000

02 September 2014 – On September 2, 2014, the 34th Meeting of the CAFS took place during the visit of the Crown Prince and the Defense Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.R.H Salman bin Abdelaziz AL SAOUD. The Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Tawfiq Bin Fozan Al Rabiah, the Governor of SAGIA (Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority), as well as the former French State Secretary of Foreign Trade, Mr. Thomas THEVENOUD all participated in the meeting. Co-chaired by Mr. Jean-Louis CHAUSSADE and Dr. Mohamed BEN LADEN, copresidents of the Saudi-French Business Council (CAFS) and respectively CEO of SUEZ Environment and Chairman of MBL Law Firm, this meeting allowed to review the economic and trade relations between France and Saudi Arabia. There were several priority projects led by French companies to develop Saudi Arabia which were presented to the Crown Prince (particularly in the fields of energy, sustainable cities, water and sanitation, transport, etc). Vertical Market panels were organized focusing on the following themes:

Hydrocarbons and petrochemicals
Sustainable cities and transpor
Health

A large Saudi Delegation with over 30 companies as well as nearly 130 French companies were able to ask their questions and voice their concerns to representatives of both countries as well as have discussions with their partners. A general summary of the meeting is available for member of MEDEF International.

The post CAFS holds a meeting in Paris during the visit of Crown Prince appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS celebrates launch of Health Trade Fair in Riyadh

CAFS — Fri, 02 May 2014 14:30:00 +0000

02 May 2014 – The CAFS celebrated the launch of the Health Trade Fair in Saudi Arabia with the Health Minister. France was distinguished as the guest of honor at the Fair. The French Pavilion was supervised by Mr. Jean-Marie Le Guen, the State Secretary for Parliamentary Relations. The opening ceremony for the Trade Fair was done by the Governor of Riyadh, Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

The CAFS President, Dr. Mohammed BEN LADEN also organized a dinner at his residence to honor the visit of these dignitaries. The dinner was proposed to some official representatives of the French government including Mr. Jean-Yves Le Guen, Mr. Bertand Besancenot, as well as the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammed Khoshim, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammed Zamakhshary and the members of the Advisory Council.

The CAFS also invited the Saudi Health Minister, Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, for an official visit of Paris on November 5 – 7, 2013, where he met important French representatives and participated in signing ceremony for multiple associations with French centers of excellence such as Pasteur, Imagine, IRCADS, ICAN, IGR and others. These agreements were focused on training talented human capital in Saudi Arabia through trainings in France and in Saudi Arabia.

Opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting at the Trade Fair and the Health Conference in Saudi Arabia 2014, at the centre of the Riyadh exhibitions by Prince Turki bin Abdullah and Mr. Jean-Marie Le Guen, Secretary of State for Parliamentary Relations with other dignitaries, international delegates and industry professionals. France was the guest of honor at the event and over 20 French companies took part.

The French Pavilion offers an innovative and varied offer – light utility vehicles equipped with medical devices, mobile unities, e-health … Orange, Schneider and Airbus Group were simultaneously sponsors at the French Pavilion hosting a series of associated events.

The post CAFS celebrates launch of Health Trade Fair in Riyadh appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS and French delegation visit Zulfi

CAFS — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:42:00 +0000

03 April 2014 – French ambassador, H.E. Mr. Bertrand Besancenot, visited the province of Zulfi, along with the President and members of the CAFS. He was welcomed by Mr. Nayef bin Hamoud Al-Tariki and some civil servants from Gulf countries. The meeting was presided over by Dr. Mohammed Ali Ben Laden, President of the CAFS. This meeting was the opportunity to highlight the remarkable results of the achievements carried out by the Council over this time period, while simultaneously pointing out work which needs doing in the future.

Program for the third CAFS meeting:

Opening speech by the President of the CAFS, Mr. Mohammed BEN LADEN.
Speech by the French Ambassador in Riyadh, Mr. Bertrand BESANCENOT.
Inspection of works carried out. Presentation by the Vice-President of the CAFS, Eng. Faiz ALELWEET
Saudi-French Business Forum organized in Paris in April, 2013.
Visit in France in November 2013 with the medical-sector Delegation supervised by the Saudi Health Minister.
Visit of the President of the French Republic in Saudi Arabia in December 2013.
Visit in France in February 2014 of a Delegation of the Health Ministry supervised by the Saudi Health Deputy-Minister.
Acceptance of the Medef invitation requesting member of the CAFS to come to France from April 22 – 25, 2014 to join up with an agricultural delegation (fishery) and to visit several cities (Paris, Nantes, Rennes and Brest) with a delegation from the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF).
Preparation of the visit of CAFS members in France at the end of May 2014.
Preparation of Saudi-French Business Forum in Riyadh at the end of 2014.
Open discussion for any other issues.

The post CAFS and French delegation visit Zulfi appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS delegation in healthcare visits France

CAFS — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:06:00 +0000

5-8 November 2013 – A business delegation of CAFS members specialized in the healthcare sector, led by the Saudi Health Minister, Dr. Abdullah Al–Rabiah, visited France in November 2013.

The program of this delegation was::
– Visit of the Gustave Roussy Institute which is the leading European Centre for fighting Cancer
– Reception at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Paris
– Visit of International SOS
– Visit of Sodexo Healthcare
– Meeting at the Health Ministry
– Signature of partnership contracts
– Visit of Strasbourg IRCAD (unique site dedicated to healthcare, research and training)

The post CAFS delegation in healthcare visits France appeared first on CAFS KSA.

CAFS holds 1st Saudi French Business Forum in Paris

CAFS — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:51:00 +0000

12 April 2012 – Medef International had seen great for the opening, on April 11, of the seminar organized in Paris in the framework of the first Franco-Saudi business forum (April 10-12): nearly 600 business leaders were registered, three French ministers, Nicole Bricq (Foreign trade), Pierre Moscovici (Economy and finance) and Arnaud Montebourg (Productive recovery) were present, as well as large bosses of the CAC 40, like Christophe de Margerie (Total), Luc Oursel (Areva), Henri Proglio (EDF). All punctuated by the signing of three investment licenses in Saudi Arabia for Legrand, Bull and SIA Advice.

In turn, the three ministers called on Saudi operators to invest in France. Sign of their willingness to work “on an equal footing” with Saudi Arabia, François Hollande had reserved his first visit to this country as President of the Republic in the Middle East in November 2012.

The post CAFS holds 1st Saudi French Business Forum in Paris appeared first on CAFS KSA.