France SelectUSA Economic Investment Mission - March 2024

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About

The US-France Economic Investment Mission is a three-stop mission throughout the South of France. This mission will bring numerous opportunities for you to learn how to invest and grow your business in the United States. The delegation will consist of representatives from 15 U.S. states who you will be able to meet as well as learn best practices for investing in the United States. As a part of SelectUSA, this mission will offer a variety of services to help international companies connect with economic development representatives at the state and local levels.

What We Are Looking For

Your company has already decided to invest in the US, even if you are unsure of where
Your company plans to expand to the US within the next 2-5 years
Your company already has an investment in the US but wants to expand and are interested in learning about other states or locations
Newer and smaller companies are welcome

Agenda

Toulouse

La Cite, 55 avenue Louis Breguet, 31400 Toulouse

Start

8:30 AM

End

3:00 PM

People

Pierre-Olivier Nau

Jalil Benabdillah

Miguel Pinedo

Bernard De Savignies

Jasjit Singh

Magali Hattou

Pascal Descargues

Stella Belvisi

Olivier Simon

Montpellier

32 Grand rue Jean Moulin-Montpellier

Start

8:30 AM

End

3:30 PM

People

Céline Darnet

Denise Campbell Bauer

Jasjit Singh

Olivier Simon

Nice

20 Bd Carabacel, 06000 Nice

Start

8:30 AM

End

3:00 PM

People

Jasjit Singh

Philippe Cizeron

Olivier Simon

People

Denise Campbell Bauer

Ambassador @ U.S. Embassy Paris (Montpellier stop only)

Jasjit Singh

Executive Director @ SelectUSA

Jalil Benabdillah

Vice-President in charge of Economy, Employment, Innovation and Reindustrialization @ La Région Occitanie

Having obtained an engineering degree from the Alès school of Engineering (IMT Mines Alès), Jalil Benabdillah pursued his studies at the University of Montpellier where he was awarded a doctorate in Process and Particulate Engineering, before returning to Alès in 1999 and founding SDTech with his lifelong friend, Aziz Aït Amer.

From 2004 to 2007 he was President of the Erasmus Student Network in France.

His career as a business creator, then as an entrepreneur, is marked by real involvement and civic commitment to the local economy in Alès and the region of Occitanie, where SDTech was born and continues to grow.

In 2014 he was elected as a Municipal Councillor (re-elected in 2020), responsible for Higher Education and Research, cultural sponsorship and partnerships. He became First Vice-Chairman for the Agglomeration of Alès in charge of Economic Development and International Relations.

Jalil Benabdillah is also involved with businesses in the Occitanie region since in July 2015 he was unanimously elected as President of Leader Occitanie, a network of more than 200 companies based in the Occitanie region, who demonstrate intense development and controlled growth.

In June 2021 he was Elected as Councillor for the Occitanie Region of France and nominated as Vice-President in charge of Economy, Employment, Innovation and Reindustrialisation.

Pierre-Olivier Nau

President @ MEDEF Haute-Garonne

Miguel Pinedo

Director Strategy & Marketing, Aerospace and Transportation Business Unit @ Constellium

Bernard De Savignies

COO @ FittingBox

Pascal Descargues

CEO @ GENOSKIN

Stella Belvisi

General Counsel of the Commercial Aircraft Business @ Airbus

Alina Harastasanu

Director, European Business Development @ JobsOhio

Angela Mascia

General Manager, Europe @ West Virginia Department of Economic Development

Anke Goebel de Méndez

Directrice, State of Iowa - European Office @ Iowa

"Invest in America’s Midwest: Iowa is the leading renewable energy state by share of all electricity produced from wind, solar, and energy storage power plants. The State’s leadership in renewable energy and low cost of doing business may help lower both your company’s overall carbon footprint and operation costs! Centrally located in the heartland, Iowa’s excellent transportation network makes the State the ideal home for your new distribution center, warehousing, manufacturing, or assembly subsidiary. Meet us and learn how to benefit from Iowa’s business-friendly state government, tax credits, and job training programs."

Top Industry Sectors:

Advanced Manufacturing (machinery, aerospace, food processing, industrial chemicals, medical drugs)
Bioscience Industry (vaccines, diagnostics, immunotherapy, biomass, ethanol, biodiesel)

Antje Abshoff

Managing Director, Foreign Direct Investment, Strategic Projects & Lead Generation @ Virginia

Ben Fontenot

Assistant Director - Office of International Commerce @ Louisiana Economic Development

Christelle Maffre

Director SelectFlorida France @ Florida

Christoph Doerr

European Office Director @ Alabama

“In 1997, Mercedes-Benz became the first European OEM to launch production in Alabama. As a result, four OEMs from Asia and over 250 suppliers from Europe settled in Alabama, all sharing the goal of participating in success in the state.

Another great milestone for Alabama was in 2015, when AIRBUS started producing the A320 passenger aircraft in the state. Production of the A220 was added in 2020, and we are very pleased that AIRBUS announced in 2022 that the Alabama site will be expanded into a very large passenger aircraft assembly plant.

This expansion will open Alabama to new opportunities for suppliers from the European aerospace industry. As was the case with Mercedes, this growth offers companies an opportunity to counter tough competition in Europe with another foothold in the USA.”

Christophe Bezou

Deputy Managing Director @ State of South Carolina - Europe Office

Daniel Dozier

Consultant - France @ JobsOhio

Ellen Kraft

Managing Director @ Georgia

"Georgia is at the heart of the US’s fastest-growing region and offers unparalleled access for French companies interested in expanding to the US. Georgia is home to the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, the most extensive rail system in the Southeast, and the fastest-growing port in the nation. Over 100 French companies call Georgia home thanks to its first-class infrastructure, top access to talent, diverse industry mix, and pro-business environment. Area Development Magazine has named Georgia the top state to do business in for the last 10 years in a row. French companies looking to expand to the Peach State have the support of Georgia’s Europe Office, the French American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, the French Consulate, and the La French Tech Hub of Atlanta."

Top Industry Sectors:

Advanced Manufacturing
Aerospace & Defense
Agribusiness
Automotive & EV Manufacturing
Clean Energy
Food Processing
Life Sciences
Logistics & Supply Chain
Technology (top verticals include FinTech, Health IT, CyberSecurity, CleanTech, AgTech)

Jan Christoph Wiedemann

European Director @ Indiana Economic Development Corporation

Joe Magruder

Industry Specialist @ Texas Economic Development & Tourism

Justyn Bellitto

Director of Business Development @ New Mexico Partnership

Marine L'Herrou

Europe Director @ New York

"Empire State Development provides comprehensive economic development services, fostering growth in New York by offering complementary assistances to foreign companies, encouraging innovation, and supporting job creation initiatives. Empire State Development serves as a pivotal resource for businesses considering expansion in the US, facilitating initial project discussions, and providing crucial support throughout the establishment process. This support extends across a diverse range of industries, including but not limited to renewables, semicon, biotech and lifesciences, tech and electronics, agribusiness, optics, photonics, and manufacturing."

Top Industry Sectors: