Franco-British Conference 2026 Highlights Video
Franco-British Business Conference 2026 - President's Conclusions
On 10 June 2026, the French Chamber of Commerce Great Britain brought together over 250 senior business leaders, policymakers and investors at the Chicago Booth London Conference Centre for our annual Franco-British Business Conference.
This year's theme — From Ambition to Action: Franco-British Competitiveness in an Era of Sovereignty — sparked honest, forward-looking conversations across energy, defence, artificial intelligence and industrial strategy.
A huge thank you to our speakers, sponsors and every attendee who made the day possible.
From ambition to action:
Franco-British competitiveness in an era of sovereignty
Programme
- Challenges and Opportunities in 2026 : Michael Saunders, Senior Advisor, Oxford Economics & Ex-Monetary Policy Committee, BoE will open the conference with a data-driven overview of the global and European business landscape, setting the tone with key insights on energy, geopolitics, AI, and competitiveness.
- Fireside Chat – Where Next for UK–France Cooperation?: Policy-facing i.e. designed to take the business takeaways back into government agendas
- CEO Interview: A high-level interview with Simone Rossi, CEO, EDF Energy and Group Senior Executive VP, exploring how global companies are navigating energy transition, digital transformation, and geopolitical uncertainty – and the role of bilateral cooperation in strengthening Europe’s industrial resilience.
Panel discussions:
Three panels will delve deeper into the conference’s core themes, bringing together senior executives, policymakers, and experts to discuss defence and security, digital innovation, and the energy transition:
DEFENCE AND ECONOMIC SECURITY: From Doctrine to Delivery
Exploring how Franco-British defence cooperation can shift from high-level agreements to practical implementation – aligning procurement, export controls, and industrial capacity to meet shared security goals.
Panel introduced by Diane Mullenex, Global Head of the Retail, Sports & Hospitality Sector (Pinsent Masons).
~ Sponsored by
ENERGY AND CLIMATE TRANSITION: From Security to Competitiveness
Focusing on how the UK and France can accelerate renewable investment, grid resilience, and industrial electrification while maintaining affordability and sustainability.
Panel introduced by Emma Dennard, Vice President of Northern Europe (OVH Cloud).
~ Sponsored by
TECHNOLOGY, AI & DIGITAL COLLABORATION: From Hype to Adoption
A discussion on how businesses can move from pilots to real deployment.
Panellists will address regulation, skills, and infrastructure to ensure AI drives competitiveness rather than fragmentation.
Panel introduced by Bo de Laere, MSc, Global Affairs Intern (Dassault Systemes).
~ Sponsored by
Speakers
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Our Panel Sponsors:
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