Press releases

The partnership between ETHIC and the Franco-British Chamber was signed on the 8^th October by their Presidents, Sophie de Menthon and Thierry Drilhon. They are joining forces to support medium-sized companies meet the technical and human challenges posed by the UK’s exit from the EU.

Their first joint action “J’aime ma boite”, is part of the UK version of ETHIC’s long-running project, the “Fête des Entreprises”  launched in 2003 The project was unveiled by Catherine Le Yaouanc, General Manager of the Franco-British Chamber, in London on the 15^th October at the first annual meeting of British and International Chambers of Commerce (recently united in a single organisation, the “BCC Global Business Network”).

Sophie de Menthon, President of ETHIC, said: ‘We are an organisation representing all of French business activity, from CAC40 companies to small and medium-sized enterprises, and 18 federations. Our partnership with the Franco-British Chamber reflects a common spirit between our two organisations at a key moment in our history’.

Thierry Drilhon, President of the Franco-British Chamber, said: ‘I am delighted with our partnership with ETHIC. Our joint activity is based on our firm conviction that companies are the foundation of our organisations. “My Company is great” reflects our commitment to continue working with British companies and to bring the voice of business to the table whilst putting people first.  This partnership thus celebrates the humanist values that we share and the synergy of our respective actions with a historical, economic, and apolitical foundation.’

Franco-British Chamber

The Franco-British Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Franco-British Chamber), established in 1873, is the oldest international chamber of commerce in Europe. The Chamber offers its members – companies of all sizes, from all sectors of activity, and of French or British origin – a vast range of tailor-made services to help them develop their cross-channel activity. Located in Paris for more than 146 years, the Franco-British Chamber is a powerful business network that supports and brings together companies. The Business Connect service, from member to member, allows for a privileged and efficient relationship.

www.francobritishchamber.com

ETHIC – Entreprises de Taille Humaines Indépendantes et de Croissance

ETHIC is an organisation of reflection and managerial action, bringing together independent, human orientated, and growing companies. Its mission is to promote the image of the company whilst promoting ethical values, the central place of people at the heart of the economic system, and the freedom to do business. In all of its work and through its actions in favour of a better pedagogy of business, the organisation positions itself as the instigator of new ethics of capitalism, in response to the issues of today.

www.ethic.fr

Press Contacts :

Franco-British Chamber : Véronique Lecompte +33 (0)6 22 07 65 96

ETHIC : Frédéric Jaillant +33 (0)6 62 34 58 37

At its Annual General Meeting, the Franco-British Chamber assessed the significant increase in the attractiveness of their offer over the past two years (+19% of new members), evaluated their action to prepare their members for the implementation of Brexit (+85% participation in their Master classes, +50% media coverage) and reviewed the launch of the 1st Barometer of Franco-British Economic Relations through their co-founded Think Tank, the Cross-Channel Institute.

The Meeting also led to the election of Jimmy Zou – Senior Partner of PwC, in charge of Financial Services Consulting and Insurance Market in France, Maghreb and French-speaking Africa – to the Board of Directors.

It was also opportunity to announce that the members of the Franco-British Chamber will benefit from the recent merger of the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe (COBCOE) with the Association of British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) under the banner of the GBN “Global Business Network”. As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the EU, British companies have chosen to consolidate their links with European companies, including French ones, through an economic “remain”. Access to all the services and business opportunities of these two networks combined in a single network provides additional development leverage for French companies that are members of the Franco-British Chamber, the only organization in France that is a member of the Global Business Network (GBN).

Thierry Drilhon, President of the Franco-British Chamber, stated at the Rentrée Réception on 19 September: “Our strategic transformation plan continues to produce results with a much-enhanced appeal for our members and many companies that come to benefit from our unique network of experts and partners. I am very pleased to welcome Jimmy Zou, who brings to the Chamber his expertise in the strategic and economic issues of Franco-British business relations. We also welcome the integration of the two networks of British chambers of commerce, which will accelerate growth in the United Kingdom and around the world for French companies who are members of the Chamber. In fact, it is the new Europe that we are going to help to create together.

Finally, as part of our new communication strategy, we are launching our new website today. It has three objectives: to facilitate access to our services and business network, to help prepare our members for Brexit and to foster economic and cross-cultural relations. For 146 years, the Franco-British Chamber has actively participated in the development of Franco-British economic relations and our new site will be part of a new digital relational dynamic for the many years to come”.

Jimmy Zou, new director and founding member of the Cross-Channel Institute, said, “It is an honour for me to join the Board of Directors of the Franco-British Chamber as our companies and
organizations finalize their preparations for Brexit. Here, we are part of the long-term special relationship between our two nations, and the Cross-Channel Institute Barometer will be the benchmark of its evolution.”

Board of Directors of the Franco-British Chamber:

§  Thierry Drilhon,President
§  Marie-Christine Bilbow,Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer – Treasurer
§  Oliver Campenon,Vice-President
§  Michel de Fabiani,Vice-President
§  Bob Lewis,Vice-President
§  Michel Dubarry,Director
§  Hubert Dupont L’Hotelain,Director – Business Development
§  Rachael Hughes,Director
§  Marie-Alix Michel,Director, Honorary Secretary – Legal Counsel
§  Françoise Rausch,Director – Cross Channel Institute
§  Guy-Antoine de La Rochefoucauld,Director
§  Jimmy Zou,Director
§  Catherine Le Yaouanc, Managing Director, Franco-British Chamber

New website for the Franco-British Chamber : www.francobritishchamber.com

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Press Contact:
–       Véronique Lecompte, Senior Consultant Marketing & Communications, Franco-British Chamber of Commerce – veronique.lecompte@francobritishchamber.com  – +33 (0) 6 22 07 65 96

On the occasion of the New Year’s Reception 2019 which took place on the 31st of January at the residence of the British Ambassador to France, Thierry Drilhon, President of the Franco-British Chamber, presented the plan for the strategic transformation which will take place between now and 2021.  “Faced with the challenges that Brexit raises for the business community, we want to use this period as a trigger and an opportunity to accelerate the development of economic activity on both sides of the Channel.”

As part of this strategic transformation, the Chamber of Commerce is adopting a new communication strategy – including a new logo – to make the Chamber’s image clearer and stronger to all its stakeholders.

As part of the new offer to big businesses, the Chamber of Commerce announces the creation of a Think Tank, the “Cross-Channel Institute: for the promotion of Franco-British sustainable prosperity” as part of the partnership with PwC and the economic arm of the British Embassy (DIT). This initiative is in response to the request expressed by large companies to reinforce economic and commercial ties after Brexit. In addition to premium events, the Think Tank will be well placed to engage in and influence the writing of this new chapter in the economic history of our two countries.

Thierry Drilhon declared that: “The creation of this Think Tank, in partnership with PwC, is a formidable opportunity to reinvent our economic relationship with the UK for the coming decades around a powerful and historic connection.”

Jimmy Zou, Senior Partner at PwC France and Francophone Africa said: “In this moment where there is great uncertainty over the relationship between the UK and Europe, we are pleased but also proud to engage alongside the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce in establishing an ambitious vision of the “special relationship” between the people and businesses of our two nations – with or without, before or after Brexit.”

With regard to small and medium enterprises, we will make access to our services more efficient and user-friendly thanks to a new website (May 2019) connected to the “Business Connect” platform which extends business opportunities to British Chambers of Commerce in Europe.

For all of its members, the Chamber is organising many events, meetings and breakfasts in Paris and in the French regions to help companies to prepare for Brexit. The coming events will focus on: The commercial and legal impact; transport and logistics; intellectual property and “impatriation & new immigrations”.