News Saudi Arabia Archives - CAFS KSA

CAFS’ President speaks at business lunch organised by H.E. Minister of Commerce

CAFS — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 15:03:00 +0000

2023-06-19 – Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the CAFS, participated in the business lunch organised by H.E. Mr. Majid AlKassabi, Minister of Commerce of Saudi Arabia, at the Hôtel d’Evreux, in Paris, on June 19, 2023.

This event, which was hosted on the occasion of the presentation of Saudi Arabia’s candidacy to organize the World Expo 2030, under the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow”, brought together 30 personalities, including representatives of the French authorities and elected members of the French Parliament, of the private sector, of French cultural organisations, and of foreign embassies based in France.

On this occasion, Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), gave a keynote speech to support the candidacy of Riyadh to host the World Expo in 2030.

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CAFS members speak at PIF Private Sector Forum

CAFS — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:35:24 +0000

15 March 2023 – Eng. Ziyad Alshiha, CEO of the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), and Eng. Walid Abukhaled, CEO of the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), eminent members of Executive Committee of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), participate today in the panel discussion on the “Role of the private sector in developing emerging sectors”.

Mr. Soufyan Alkabbani, CEO of Saudico Electronic Systems and Vice-President of the CAFS, also attended the event, to participate as official representative of the Saudi French Business Council.

This panel discussion took place during the Private Sector Forum organised by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) in Riyadh, on 14 and 15 March 2023 at the Four Season Hotel. The two-day event, the first of its kind, focuses on PIF’s efforts to support and enable the private sector to unlock opportunities and further diversify the economy by investing in new sectors, enhancing competitiveness, increasing local content, and creating new jobs, in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Officials, representatives of 50 PIF portfolio companies, and more than 4,000 private sector participants from all sectors are expected to participated in the forum.

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INTERVIEW – Mr. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, CEO of the Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO), on Socrates podcast

CAFS — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 08:27:23 +0000

28 February 2023 – Mr. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, CEO of the Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO), and member of the Executive Committee of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), was a guest of the Socrates podcast.

In this interview, Mr. Al-Hogail explained that SAPTCO is a state-owned transportation company aiming to provide safe, reliable, and affordable public transportation options for the people of Saudi Arabia. With a focus on sustainability and innovation, SAPTCO has been committed to improving the quality of life for all residents, since its creation in 1979.

Currently, SAPTCO operates over 1,500 buses across the country, providing convenient and efficient transportation to thousands of commuters every day. In Riyadh alone, SAPTCO operates over 100 bus routes, with plans to expand even further in the near future.

In 2019, the company reported a revenue of SAR 2.7 billion (USD 720 million) and a net income of SAR 277.9 million (USD 74.1 million).

But SAPTCO isn’t stopping there. The company has ambitious plans to improve its existing infrastructure, in partnership with the French company RATP, by introducing new buses equipped with the latest technology and by increasing the frequency of bus routes, in order to transport 90 million people per year in the future.

It is also working on the development of the Riyadh metro network, which will serve 40 stations in the coming years. Two fully automated lines will be operated by the CAMCO, a joint venture between SAPTCO (20%) and the French company RATP (80%).

The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) is proud to count Mr. Al-Hogail as one of the members of its Executive Committee and thanks SAPTCO for its continuous support. We also believe that great synergies exist with other French companies for future cooperation to meet the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

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INTERVIEW – Mr. Ziyad Al-Shiha, CEO of the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) on Bloomberg

CAFS — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 08:20:22 +0000

28 February 2023 – Mr. Ziyad Al-Shiha, CEO of the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), and member of the Executive Committee of the Franco-Saudi Business Council (CAFS), was the guest of Bloomber Asharq to present the future of the recycling sector in Saudi Arabia.

He explained that until now, less than 5% of waste was recycled, and that this sector should be supported by everyone in the country. Indeed, the fact that 95% of waste goes to landfill constitutes a loss of potential income as well as a danger to the environment.

This is precisely why the SIRC was created, to realize the vision of His Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, with the ambitious goal of diverting 100% of municipal solid waste from landfills in order to achieve 81% recycling. and 19% energy production from this waste.

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CAFS wishes you a Happy Founding Day 2023

CAFS — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 08:16:28 +0000

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CAFS, Egis, meet H.E. Dr. Faisal F. Alibrahim, Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning, in Paris

CAFS — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 08:11:14 +0000

15 February 2023 – The CAFS was represented by its President Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, during the meeting between H.E. Dr. Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Dr. Fahd Al-Ruwaili Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the French Republic, and Mr. Laurent Germain CEO of Egis, and Co-Chair of the CAFS.

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CAFS, French Ambassador, meet H.E. Dr. Faisal Al-Ibrahim, Saudi Minister of Economy & Planning

CAFS — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

13 February 2023 – The CAF was represented by its President, Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, during the meeting between H.E Mr. Ludovic Pouille Ambassador of France to Saudi Arabia, and HE Dr. Faisal Al-Ibrahim, Minister of Economy & Planning of Saudi Arabia, on the eve of his visit to Paris.

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CAFS participates in bilateral meeting during visit of French Minister of Economy, H.E. Mr. Lemaire

CAFS — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 07:50:11 +0000

29 January 2023 – The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), represented by its President Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, participated in the bilateral meeting in Riyadh between H.E. Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al Kassabi, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce, and H.E. Mr. Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.

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CAFS round table with French Foreign Trade Minister, H.E. Mr. Olivier Becht

CAFS — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 18:04:00 +0000

20 December 2022 – The President of CAFS and some of the members attended the Saudi-French round table hosted by His Excellency Engineer Khaled Al-Falih, Minister of Investment in Saudi Arabia, which included French companies during the visit of H.E. Mr. Oliver Becht, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Citizens Abroad, to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.

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CAFS meets H.H. Princess Haifa bint Abdulaziz Al Mogrin

CAFS — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 07:34:44 +0000

07 December 2022 – Within the activities of the CAFS’s executive team visit to Paris, the President of CAFS, Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, and his two deputies, Eng. Faiz Al-Elweet and Eng. Soufyan Al-Kabbani, visited the headquarters of the Saudi’s permanent delegation to UNESCO and met with the Saudi’s permanent representative in Paris, Her Highness Princess Haifa bint Abdulaziz Al Moqrin, in the presence of the Executive Director of the Business Council of the Federation of Saudi Chambers.
During the meeting, they discussed how to collaborate and unify efforts in supporting the Kingdom’s hosting of the Expo 2030.

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Saudi-French partnership for sustainable development and industry 4.0

CAFS — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:17:45 +0000

14 November 2022 – CAFS representatives attended the French FAB Accelerator in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi French Partnership for Sustainability & Industry 4.0 event organized by Business France in Riyadh. During the event several speakers and experts from KSA and France discussed topics such as Transformation, Sustainability, Productivity and Efficiency in the Energy, Utilities, Power, Industrial and Manufacturing sectors using state of the art technologies such as Cloud, Big Data, AI, ML, IoT, etc.. During the event an MOU agreement between Dassault Systems, Aramco, Fives Group and AIF was signed for cooperating and developing the industry of the future. An exhibition area with 9 French companies, startups and SMEs were present and showcasing the latest innovations of the Industry 4.0.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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CAFS meets members of the French Senate in Riyadh

CAFS — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:48:39 +0000

01 March 2022 – The CAFS met members of the French Senate in Riyadh, during their visit to Saudi Arabia.

This trip (from 25 February to 6 March 2022) was jointly organized by the Commission for Culture, Education and Communication, chaired by Laurent Lafon and the France-Gulf Countries friendship group.

This approach was an extension of President Macron’s trip to Dubai, Doha and Jeddah (2-4 Dec. 2021).

The delegation brought together:
Members of the Culture, Education and Communication Committee:
– Mr. Laurent LAFON, President Senator of Val-de-Marne
– Mr. Pierre OUZOULIAS, Vice-President Senator of Hauts-de-Seine
– Ms. Céline BOULAY-ESPÉRONNIER, Senator of Paris
– Ms. Sonia de La Provôté, Senator of Calvados
– Mr. Jacques GROSPERRIN, Senator of Doubs
– Mr. Lucien STANZIONE, Senator of Vaucluse
Members of the France-Gulf countries friendship group:
– Mr. Olivier CADIC, President Senator representing French people living abroad
– Ms. Nathalie DELATTRE, Senator from Gironde, Deputy President for Saudi Arabia
– Mrs. Joëlle GARRIAUD-MAYLAM, Senator representing French people living abroad, Deputy President for the United Arab Emirates

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CAFS participates in workshop with Saudi Ministry of Investment and World Bank

CAFS — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 18:58:03 +0000

24 February 2022 – The Ministry of Investment, in collaboration with the World Bank in February 2022, organized workshops on the top opportunities and challenges facing the private sector in Saudi Arabia, with the aim of determining these opportunities and challenges in order to improve the investment environment.

The workshops discussed several main aspects, such as the investment environment climate and the systems affecting investment, where representatives of the private sector shared their suggestions and referred inquiries to officials of the ministry.

The workshops were attended by more than 65 local companies and 80 foreign companies, through 20 sessions that were held at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh.

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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.

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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.

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CAFS accompanies Saudi Minister of Communications to France

CAFS — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 11:02:00 +0000

05 September 2021 – The Saudi-French Business Council (CAFS) organized the visit of the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Abdullah Al-Sawaha, to the headquarters of the Scale way company in Paris (www.scaleway.com). The CAFS was represented by its President Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden.

Scaleway is a provider of Cloud Ecosystem and Green Data Centers solutions. It was founded in 1999 by Mr. Xavier Niel, and is led by CEO Mr. Yann Lechelle. The meeting aimed to discuss opportunities for cooperation and technical partnership.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.“

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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French President visits Saudi Arabia

CAFS — Sun, 29 Dec 2013 16:49:00 +0000

29-30 December 2013 – Visit of the President of the French Republic François Hollande in Saudi Arabia

A meeting which took place in Riyadh, on 29 December 2013, between King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saoud, and the President of the French Republic, François Hollande, which emphasized the importance of reinforcing bilateral French-Saudi relations to enhance communication and initiate a solid economic cooperation partnership between France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The economic relations which bind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France are solid, effective and multifaceted, founded on mutual trust. Given the solidity of these relations, they must now result in promising and productive projects allowing strengthening this reciprocal compliance to guarantee the sustainable backing of their economy and their industry.

In this respect, King Abdullah and the French President raised the subject of developing a partnership between the Kingdom and France in all aspects of economic participation, notably undertakings in the fields of finance and possible investments, allowing them to maintain their mutual interests.

In this context, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France agreed on the fact that these investments would focus on three major sectors: infrastructure projects, particularly in the field of railway transport, from credit to export, as well as other innovative industrial projects.

Speech by Mr. François Hollande:

“I apologize, but I will speak in French. So…

I’m going to start by underlining the decisive role that Mr. Ben Laden had in these relations between France and Saudi Arabia as throughout his whole professional life, which is really just beginning, he has had the firm intention of serving the interests of our two countries.

It’s true that he inherited both the French language and culture from this father. And you decided to do your studies in Paris at the Sorbonne, the most famous of French universities and you began your professional life as a lawyer in France. Then you decided to return here – to your home and your country – and you opened your law firm in Riyadh. Today, you undeniably belong to the highly-competent Saudi elite. French companies trust you and you defend their interests here, with your particularly precious and invaluable advice. You preside over the CAFS and you give a lot of your time … although it can be said that time, for a lawyer, is the precious of commodities! I didn’t say the most expensive commodity! But you’re also our lawyer as you defend, when necessary, the interests of the Embassy in Riyadh. You also encouraged the implementation of an Alliance Française in Saudi Arabia. And, thanks to you, 2500 Saudis study our language today. This is really what I wanted to emphasize to justify this high distinction which I’m going to award you. You help the French culture, the French language and the French economy …. and therefore Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Mohamed Bin Laden, in the name of the French Republic, we appoint you as Knight of the Legion of Honor”

François Hollande
President of the French Republic

Speech by Dr. Mohamed ben Laden:

« Mr. President of the French Republic, Honorable Ministers, Ambassadors, dear friends.

Mr. President, the words you’ve just spoken regarding myself touch me enormously and I thank you warmly and wholeheartedly. I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude today for all my friends who I’ll not cite in their entirety as the list is very long, but who made it possible for this day to finally happen. Certain among you – and I’m sure you’ll know who I’m referring to – are here with us today and I also thank those who were not able to attend but I know they are very happy for me at this moment.

It’s with a great emotion that I measure the honor bestowed upon me today, given the incredibly strong and might-I say, indestructible ties which bind me to France. Today this a double honor for me. Not only am I, thanks to you, going to enter into this prestigious order of the Legion of Honor but in addition, I’m graced with your presence here in Riyadh.

I’m really very proud and your presence in Saudi Arabia proves, in the eyes of my Saudi compatriots, the genuine interest which you have for the Kingdom. As President of the CAFS, I’ve always been very touched by your attention, Mr. the President, which you’ve always given to Saudi Arabia, its politicians, its business men, its projects and the reception which you organized at the Elysée Palace in April has been engraved in my memory.

And if I may do so, I’d like to make a confession …. More and more we hear in Saudi Arabia that France is a faithful partner and a reliable friend. Of course I was already aware of this but I’m not very biased considering my immense love for France. To finish-up and as we are at the dawn of new year, to present you, Mr. the President of the French Republic, all my wishes for success in your job which is so demanding. I make the wish that 2014 be a year full of success with many results in the valorous efforts which you make, and be assured, Mr. the President, of my deep gratitude for the prestigious form of recognition bestowed on me by France today.”

Mohamed Ben Laden

Speech by François Hollande:

“Honorable Ministers,

After listening to the speech of Mohamed Ben Laden, we have absolutely no doubt about having bestowed him with his honor. The high standard of his language like the depth of his culture, along with his love towards France, all justify this prestigious distinction. His father, Abdul Aziz Almunajem, who was therefore Mr. Abdullah Al-Munajem, developed his activity first working with fruits and vegetables and then he had an idea as he didn’t only work in the agri-food business but also in the restaurant industry, service industry, distribution and even in building. Somewhere along the line there was a meeting with France. You trusted in French farmers, notably chicken-farmers and you invested in the company Doux and you distribute their products here in Saudi Arabia. We are now linked to each other as you chose to invest in the company’s capital. For all these reasons of being faithful, loyal and honest, France wanted to pay you their respects, and make the Al-Munajem Group an example to follow. It’s an example of mutual effort, partnership and shared interest. And in this economy it’s not just a question of merchandise, products and capital as we’re also dealing with men and if there are no company managers or great leaders, then there can’t be a thriving economy. And this is why Mr. Abdul Aziz Almunajem, we see in you a great company manager, a knowledgeable investor and a friend of France. And even if we’re far from Brittany here in Saudi Arabia, even if there are some people from Brittany among us here today … there are always Bretons everywhere! Well today Brittany turns toward Saudi Arabia and says thank-you. And France turns towards Mr. Abdul Aziz Almunajem to bestow him with his prestigious distinction.

Mr. Abdul Aziz Almunajem, in the name of the French Republic, we appoint you as Knight of the Legion of Honor.”

François Hollande
President of the French Republic

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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)

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Presentation of the Saudi French Business Forum

CAFS — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:21:00 +0000

10-12 April 2013 – Presentation of the Franco-Saudi Business Forum

President Hollande to Saudi businessmen: “There are investment opportunities in France and you are welcome there”

At the initiative of Dr. Taufiq Bin Fozan Al Rabiah, Saudi Minister of Trade and Industry, and Mrs. Nicole Bricq, French Minister of Foreign Trade, Medef international organized on April 11 and 12, 2013, at L’Hôtel Intercontinental in Paris – the first Franco-Saudi Business Forum.

A highly symbolic meeting both by the number and rank of personalities who took part in this meeting and by the interest it aroused among economic players, French and Saudi, who all wanted to bring the historic partnership sealed back to life in Paris in 1967 between French President Charles de Gaulle and King Fayçal Ben Saoud.

Three French ministers, Mr. Pierre Moscovici, Mr. Arnaud Montebourg, Mrs. Nicole Bricq, and their Saudi counterparts, including Dr. Tawfig Al Rabiah, Minister of Trade and Industry, took part in the various round tables to affirm their conviction in the need to revitalize the partnership which binds the two countries and to express their desire to develop relations between France and Saudi Arabia.

Opening the work of this meeting, Mr. Jean Burelle, member of the Executive Committee of Medef, and Mr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Franco-Saudi Business Council, in turn underlined the economic and political potential of Saudi Arabia and its major role in the stability of the region. Mr. Burelle emphasized the importance of this meeting, which constitutes “a wonderful opportunity for French and Saudi companies to discuss in order to learn about and identify the different sectors of the economy which constitute the vectors of growth and of development in the two countries”, whereas Mr Bin Laden rather insisted on the profound changes implemented in the Kingdom under the impetus of His Majesty King Abdallah Bin Abdel Aziz. He notably recalled that the Saudi kingdom, which intends to “fully integrate the global economy”, has a territory that is five times the size of France and a population of 28 million inhabitants, two thirds of whom are under 30 years old. And to add, “it is the world’s leading oil producer and exporter, its debt represents only 4% of its GDP, while its budget surplus is around 15%”. Closing his speech on a note of humour, Mr Bin Laden indicated that the writer who claimed the idea that the three types of accomplished men created by Saudi Arabia were “the warrior, the poet, and the prophet” had obviously forgotten to mention “the businessman”.

Several round tables punctuated the two days of this forum, creating as many opportunities to address the major issues relating to the diversification of the Saudi economy, sustainable development, investment programs in the energy and oil, agriculture and agri-food, health, transport and of course the development of human capital and the considerable means which are deployed today in the field of education, higher education and of training.

Politicians, experts, business leaders and major economic players each time presented their analyses, animated debates, and answered questions that were both relevant and practical, but which all had the same objective, same purpose and the same goal, namely: to get information, identify, determine an area or sector of activity to then target the ideal partner to set up and develop in a new high-potential market.

At these various round tables, we note the strong participation of several representatives and heads of large French and Saudi companies. This is particularly the case, on the Saudi side, of Mr. Abdullatif Al-Othman, Governor of the Saudi Investment Authority (SAGIA), Dr. Hasim Yamani, President of KA-CARE, Mr. Ali Al Gofais, Head of training at the Ministry of Education, Mr. Saud Bin Thunain, President of the Royal Commission of Jubeil and Yanbu, Mr. Fahad Abdallah Al-Mubarak, Mr. Khalid Al-Bauainain, Vice President of ARAMCO. On the French side, we note the presence of Mr. de Margerie, Chairman of Total, Mr. Patrice Couvègnes, Director of Banque Saudi Fransi, Mr. Olivier Granet, Director of Development at Accord, Mr. Philippe Laurent, Director of Egis Industrie, Mr. Jean Lemierre, President of the CEPII Study Center, Mr. Luc Oursel, President of Areva, Mr. Henri Proglio, President of EDF.

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French Art of Living in Saudi Arabia

CAFS — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:30:00 +0000

30 March – 2 April 2013 – French Art of Living in Saudi Arabia
After Moscow, New York and New Delhi, Jeddah will be hosting this prestigious event with a limited number of places.
A market of 27 million inhabitants offering real business opportunities for French companies specialized in decoration and art of living.

Speech by H.E. Mr. Besancenot, French Ambassador:

“Your Excellencies, Mr. President of the CAFS, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
I am very happy to welcome you this evening, with my friend Mohammed Ben Laden, president of the CAFS, for the inauguration of the exhibition Art de vivre à la française, and for the gala dinner specifically prepared for this occasion, by the Michelin-starred chef from the Ritz Hotel at Place Vendôme in Paris, Michel Roth.

Through this exhibition, France is sharing its Art de Vivre in Riyadh, showcasing the creations of over 25 French companies. This prestigious exhibition follows in the footsteps of the traveling exhibit “ART DE VIVRE A LA FRANÇAISE” which UBIFRANCE has organized throughout the world for several years (in Abu Dhabi, New York, Moscow, and New Delhi). The exhibition is directed to professionals and individuals who appreciate the quality of French style in decoration. For this new edition, Saudi Arabia was a natural choice, with its strong penchant for French design.

The furnishings revolve around outdoor furniture by EGO Paris, traditional furniture and chairs by HENRYOT & Cie, contemporary customized furniture and fittings by SIGébène, wood and glass marquetry by SYLVAIN BULOT, and finely crafted furniture by TAILLARDAT.

The lighting features bronze craftsmanship: finely crafted lighting and ironwork designed by BAGUES; the grandly styled and sand casted collection of LUCIEN GAU; pieces in zinc, copper, and solid brass completely handcrafted by LUM’ART; perfect reproductions of lighting and bronze furniture that have made history, by TISSERANT.

Fabrics and trimmings shimmer in all their dazzle with HOULÈS, the renowned designer and maker of soft furnishings, decorative rodding, and upholstery fabrics. NOBILIS endeavors to express the sensibilities of contemporary artists in the wallpaper and fabric collections it makes; LELIEVRE owns the prestigious silk mill Tassinari & Chatel in Lyon, adding a touch of dream for four generations; PIERRE FREY draws its inspiration from a remarkable collection of archives to design and make fabrics, wallpaper, rugs, and furniture in the purest of French tradition; ROBERT FOUR – MANUFACTURE D’AUBUSSON, the heir of the Manufacture Royale (royal factory) created by Louis XIV, has woven the portraits of the greatest heads of state of Saudi Arabia; SABINA FAY BRAXTON offers exuberant extrapolations of ancient hand-printed textile techniques.

The art of entertaining is an integral part of the French art of living. This art will be represented by BERNARDAUD, a mainstay from Limoges, the birthplace of porcelain; CHRISTOFLE, the silversmith that has been a symbol of luxury and elegance since the 19th century, enriching its collection with contemporary design trends; ERCUIS RAYNAUD, which combines its expertise in porcelain and silverware to offer decorative pieces and sets—predesigned and custom made-to-order—remaining true to tradition.

Decoration put together with all kinds of forms: original paintings and high quality art prints by ARTASA, perfectly crafted wrought ironwork by POUENAT FERRONNIER for furniture, lighting, and fittings; luxury faucet fittings and bathroom accessories by SERDANELI.

There’s CHAUMET as well, the legendary jeweler and watchmaker, and the prestigious house of ST DUPONT, whose master craftsmen have been creating luxury accessories from the finest materials for 140 years.

In particular, I would like to thank the two main sponsors of this event: LEGRAND, one of the biggest world names in electrical and digital building infrastructure, and TANAGRA, a true ambassador for refinement, representing four prestigious art of living brands: Baccarat, Bernardaud, Chaumet, and Christofle, which have provided all their support to organizing this event.

I would also like to thank Banque Saudi Fransi and the Areva group for their support tonight, as well as Maison BO-M in Riyadh for its support in preparing this event.

I’d like to remind you that the French luxury industry includes large groups such as LVMH and Gucci Group that cover several sectors, modestly sized independent houses, providers and subcontractors, as well as craftsmen and makers. This industry employs over 100,000 people in France, and exports account for over 75% of sales. It’s the leading export industry outside of the European Union. French luxury has unrivaled historical capital. The “France” image is strong, and top companies give it a lead in both market share and renown. Some companies here already have partners in Saudi Arabia. Many other companies are looking for partners. I’m sure they’ll find the partners they’re searching for.

As for Saudi Arabia, it has 29 million inhabitants and strong purchasing power. Refinement is part of its culture, which is completely in phase with the French art of living. We already have a strong presence in Saudi Arabia in this sector. There is no doubt that this event will contribute to developing our art of living in the heart of the Saudis. In any case, this is my heartfelt wish.

I also hope that this evening will be an opportunity for you to go for a plunge in the world of French luxury. This luxury is greatly admired around the world, as proven by the record number of foreign visitors to our beautiful country.

Thank you. Enjoy the evening!”

Bertrand BESANCENOT
French Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Speech by Dr. Ben Laden:

“Mr. Ambassador, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great joy and special honor for me to speak to you this evening, at this festival, “Art de vivre à la Française”.

I would like to thank the French Ambassador and UBIFrance for allowing the CAFS to cosponsor this event.
This cosponsorship has a special meaning.

First of all, please allow me to say that the CAFS knows quite a bit about the French art of living. Indeed, on your kind advice, Mr. Ambassador, the CAFS regularly contributes to human, cultural, and economic, and gastronomic diversity, through its business prospecting trips to France. Because first and foremost, this is what the French art of living is about—enormously diverse regions, practices, and industrial and business traditions. If you don’t approach France via its diversity, you don’t understand it. It’s so true that someone (a French person, of course) once wrote:

“It’s true that all French people love France, but it’s never the same one…”

France is diversity itself. This is what “Made in France” is about, a diversity of regional cultures that each and every French person lays claim to, carrying deep in their heart an Alsatian, Burgundian, Gironde, northern French, Parisian, or Norman soul…The mission of the CAFS is above all devoted to helping Saudi businessmen understand France, and to promote mutual interest in the long term. The CAFS thus feels it is important to visit the many regions and cities of France: the capital, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Reims, and elsewhere. This means that at each stage, CAFS businessmen become familiar with a specificity of French culture, industry, business, and—there’s no reason to hide this— gastronomy. The CAFS can testify to this diversity. From Limoges porcelain to Aubuisson tapestry to leathercraft, ecological construction experiments in Bordeaux, and Bocuse gastronomy in Lyon…

Our main mission is to first showcase this fabulous French diversity to the Saudi business world. This diversity offers a significant source of economic opportunities. The business stream that unites both of our countries is becoming stronger. And the CAFS is quite proud to contribute to this. The number of ministerial visits shows this, and there are promising opportunities for long-term and structural partnerships in sectors such as energy, transport, and agribusiness. I would like to take advantage of the opportunity this evening to highlight the French Ambassador’s relentless and constant collaboration with the CAFS to strengthen economic and trade ties between the Kingdom and France. I think we can say that France has an Ambassador here who is fighting on all fronts to promote French economic and trade interests, and to generate a business stream that’s up to the task. The CAFS is proud and happy to help him in this demanding but extremely exciting task. I recently became the CAFS president, and I’m also speaking on behalf of my predecessor Kamel Munajed. The mission of UBIFrance is also essential for promoting French SMBs in Saudi Arabia. I’d like to pay tribute to the roles that UBIFrance and its director Michel Gélénine have played.

If I had to choose a single message to convey this evening, it would be: Saudi Arabia understands the French art of living. Saudis enjoy it and pay tribute to it “with their feet”, so to speak. When you look at the number of Saudi tourists and business visitors who go to France, you understand this. But we need to go further, develop our business in both directions more. I welcome the initiative of this festival. I’m sure this festival will further contribute to convincing our businessmen that France is an exceptional market.

But that’s enough business for this evening, because the French culinary art of living is the guest of honor in Riyadh. Place Vendôme will be coming to us now, thanks to the master chef of the Ritz.
Long live Saudi-French friendship and . . . Bon appétit!”

Mohamed Ben Laden

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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.

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