Exceptional event

GCC-France Business Forum | Connecting Communities, Sharing Expertise

Thursday 23 October 2025 - 8:30 am to 4:00 pm (UTC+4)

Dubai Knowledge Park Conference Centre/Auditorium, Dubai Knowledge Park - King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud St - Al Sufouh - Al Sufouh, Dubai

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Deadline for registration: Friday 17 October 2025 - 12:00 pm (UTC+4)

Price: CCI France UAE, and Partners'* Members: AED 950 (VAT. incl.)
Non-Members: AED 1,600 (VAT. incl.)
*Partners: CCI France Qatar, CCI France Bahrein, Centre d’Affaires franco-saoudien, Oman-France Amitié, Pakistan-France Business Alliance

Available on https://www.ccifranceuae.com/en/faq.html

Strengthen the links between our French and Francophile business communities in the region.

At the initiative of the CCI France International network and its partners in the Gulf region, this very first forum is dedicated to the French, French-speaking and Francophile business communities established in our region.

Held under the honorary presence of Mr. Ludovic Pouille, Director of Economic Diplomacy at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the event will bring together institutional representatives and leading executives from the region's strategic sectors. Its objective is to provide a clear understanding of the region’s markets by identifying their distinctive characteristics, potential opportunities, and prevailing challenges.

Strengthen the market knowledge and create synergies at regional level between our business communities
Provide a platform for our organizations and members to share their expertise
Discuss subjects of common interest with a sector-based approach

The day will be structured around :

A plenary session devoted to a macroeconomic analysis of the region,
Panel discussions on the key sectors in these markets,
Country presentations from Iraq and Pakistan.

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Speaker(s)

Mr. Ludovic POUILLEDirector of Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Patrick CHALHOUBExecutive Chairman - Chalhoub Group

Frédéric SANCHEZChairman & Chief Executive Officer - Fives and President - CCI France International & MEDEF International

Schedule

Thursday 23 October 2025
08:15 - 08:45	Welcome coffee & Registration
08:45 - 10:25	- Official Opening Ceremony with : Ludovic Pouille (Director of Economic Diplomacy at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) Frederic Sanchez (Chairman & CEO of Fives, CCI France International President, MEDEFI President ) - Macroeconomy Overview by Simon Ballard, First Abu Dhabi Bank Chief Economist - Business leaders panel discussion : Patrick Chalhoub (Executive Chairman at Chalhoub Group) Yaser Alsharifi (Group Executive of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait) - Closing Speech
10:30 - 11:00	Coffee Break
11:00 - 11:50	Sectorial panel discussions in parallel: - Energy Transition and Carbon Neutrality in the Gulf: Realism or Ambition? - Healthcare Across the Gulf: Diverse Strategies, French Solutions - Luxury in the Middle East, from Heritage to Innovation
12:00 - 12:45	Country Conferences in parallel: Irak & Pakistan
12:45 - 13:45	Networking Lunch
14:00 - 14:50	Sectorial panel discussions in parallel: - Bricks & Bridges: Shaping the GCC Through Construction and Infrastructure -French Culture in the Middle East: Soft Power or Economic Asset? - Mapping the Future: Transport and Logistics Developments in the Middle East
15:00 - 16:30	Country Conferences in parallel: 3.00-4.30pm: S1 UAE & Bahrein & KSA 3.00-4.30pm: S2 Qatar & Oman
16:30 - 17:00	Networking