Thanks to FCE France, the Commission permanente de coopération franco-québécoise (CPCFQ), the Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie du Québec (MRIF), and the Délégation générale du Québec in Paris, the Québec participants of the Québec-France Co-development Group had the opportunity to participate in an economic mission in France from March 26 to 31.
Four entrepreneurs who are working on a growth project with our French cousins took part in this extremely informative mission: Julie Magnan, MedOclock, Natalia Mejia, Couture Porte-Bonheur, Stéphanie Labelle, Évolution and Cynthia Hamel-Gamache, Hélios.
In order to enhance their knowledge of the French entrepreneurial environment, develop a business network and facilitate setting up their company abroad, these women organized meetings with several key players in the French ecosystem.
On the first day of their visit, the participants met with Julien Cormier, Senior Advisor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Québec General Delegation in Paris; Agnès Gatignol, Director Canada, Exportations Investissement Québec International; and Gacia Kazandkjan, who is a partner at Fidal.
The agenda on the second day was equally rewarding. It included a meeting with Bernard Quinet, Head of Operational Services, World Trade Center Paris and another with Arnaud Melilli, Head of Private Sector Partnerships, DGA of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Several other stakeholders in the financial sector also generously offered the Quebec business women their expertise and shared a wealth of information essential for setting up business overseas. They had the opportunity to have lunch with Anouk Dequé, President of Femmes chefs d’entreprises, FCE France, and to talk with Fahima Sadaoui Ramos, Director of the Cercle des Dirigeants d’Entreprises Franco-Québécois, Justine Defosse, Public Affairs CDEFQ, Côme Frotier de Bagneux, Manager, Business Services – Desjardins Financial Group in Paris, and with Chrystèle Sanon, Founder and CEO, Qwampus.
In short, the participants in the Québec-France Co-development Group had access to key ecosystem resources, and gained a great deal of knowledge relevant to their entrepreneurial project.
This mission would not have been possible without the invaluable participation of the founders of Club-Ideo; Laurent Devemy, who developed the program, facilitated the contacts and handled the logistics for the visit; and Margot Chaptal de Chateloup, the group moderator.
We would also like to especially thank the Délégation générale du Québec in Paris, including Michèle Boisvert, Delegate General of Québec in France, who graciously received the cohort in her official residence in Paris.
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