On 20 May, NSI brought together some sixty business leaders for a new Club 31 breakfast dedicated to the challenges and prospects in the Middle East in the context of the Iranian conflict. Major industrial groups, banking and insurance, the defence industrial and technological base, employers’ organisations and business law firms gathered around one strategic question: how can French companies position themselves on the economic and industrial opportunities emerging in the region?
Three complementary perspectives addressed it: Bertrand Besancenot, former French Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, former diplomatic adviser to the President of the Republic and Senior Advisor at NSI; François-Aïssa Touazi, member of Ardian’s executive committee and Chairman of the France-Kuwait business council at MEDEF International; and Georges Malbrunot, senior reporter at Le Figaro and specialist of the Gulf countries.
Diplomacy, investment and on-the-ground analysis came together to shed light on the ongoing shifts in the region and on the conditions under which French players can fully seize their place there.
Our view
In a Middle East undergoing deep change, geopolitical insight has become a prerequisite for economic success. This is the purpose of our business diplomacy and economic intelligence expertise: helping companies understand local balances, secure their projects and build the right relationships to expand internationally while keeping risks under control.
