Israel's Business Delegation to Paris hits the ground running leading up to Summer Olympics
Calcalist led Israel’s Business Delegation to Paris with Bank Hapoalim and Israel’s Olympic Committee this week for the Israeli business and tech ecosystem to meet with the French and European business community and investors ahead of the upcoming Summer Olympics
As the Paris 2024 Olympics approach, Israel's Business Delegation to Paris, led by Calcalist, Bank Hapoalim, and Israel’s Olympic Committee, is already at the start line. The delegation included leading figures from all sectors of the Israeli economy and gathered in the French capital for two days of inspiring meetings and discussions. The goal of these meetings is to strengthen Israel's international business ties, while also integrating with the world's largest sporting event, which serves as an inspiration for innovation and excellence in both sports and business on a global level.
As Israel faces numerous domestic and international challenges amid geopolitical, economic, and business uncertainty, the need for leadership, excellence, and groundbreaking collaborations is of greater importance than ever. Israeli entrepreneurship and innovation, which have become symbols of Israeli excellence, are at the heart of the delegation's activities and the connections it aims to foster. The delegation's goal was to bolster the Israeli economy and expand its international relations through economic and strategic collaborations. Strengthening business and technological ties with France, a leading country in the European Union, will help Israel maintain its economic resilience and promote its interests on the international stage, while French investors can benefit from Israeli creativity and innovation.
According to Dov Kotler, CEO of Bank Hapoalim, who led the delegation alongside Bank Hapoalim Chairman Reuven Krupik: "The Israeli business sector is one of the pillars of Israel's economic and social strength, as has been especially proven since October 7. There is no security without a strong economy, and there is no strong economy without security. We are experiencing one of the most complex periods Israel has ever known, and therefore, we are continuing to strengthen the Israeli economy and business sector, creating additional opportunities for economic, business, cultural, and athletic collaborations."
The delegation included about 100 CEOs, executives, both Israeli and international investors, senior figures from various sectors, and top officials from the Olympic Committee, who met with prominent figures from France and across the continent. Delegation members participated in a series of meetings, tours, content events, and lectures dedicated to strengthening the Israeli economy and its international business connections, highlighting Israeli excellence and innovation.
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The event kicked off on Wednesday, May 22 with a series of roundtable discussions on a wide range of topics relating to investment, innovation, and business. B2B meetings were also held between startups and investors to strengthen business ties between Israel and Europe and create opportunities for economic, business, cultural, and athletic collaborations.
One of the roundtables, led by Michal Kissos Hertzog, CEO of Poalim Tech, focused on international business collaborations and how Europe can become a more relevant market for Israeli companies. Another discussion, led by Alon Haimovich, CEO of Microsoft Israel, concentrated on the AI revolution, the challenges posed by rapid development in the field, and the tremendous investment opportunities it offers. The third roundtable, led by the Israel Export Institute and moderated by Gal Mor, Israel's Head of the Economic and Trade Mission at the Israel’s French embassy, dealt with investments in high-tech and included meetings between Israeli startups and French investors.
In addition to the meetings and discussions, there was an on-camera interview studio where Calcalist and CTech journalists spoke with delegation members about opportunities for collaboration between Israeli entrepreneurs and international investors, how to develop and foster excellence and leadership among entrepreneurs and investors, how to bridge cultural gaps, and how sports can be leveraged as a means of achieving business success and leadership.
The first day concluded with a dinner for the Israeli delegation, where Maurice Levy, Chairman of creative giant Publicis, spoke about the power of entrepreneurship to create impact and change reality amidst far-reaching technological changes and economic and political uncertainty. Levy, a prominent figure in the global communications industry, served for 30 years as the CEO of Publicis, during which he transformed the French advertising agency into the world's third-largest communications group. He is also a Co-founder of VivaTech, which has become a major international event placing France at the center of innovation and disruption.
On the second day of the visit, the Israeli business delegation visited VivaTech, where they enjoyed a guided tour of the exhibition and heard from leading speakers in the high-tech world, international companies, and groundbreaking startup entrepreneurs using technology to tackle global challenges.
Hosting the Summer Olympics in Paris this summer is expected to bring many benefits to France, both economically and socially, as well as in promoting values of excellence and leadership. The delegation had the opportunity to meet with the President of the French Olympic Committee, David Lappartient, to discuss the nexus between elite sports and business. The meeting included an open discussion about the economics of the Olympics, the uniqueness of the Paris Olympics, and the power of sports to generate a sense of belonging and national pride on the one hand and also serve as a bridge that crosses geographical, political, and national divides.
With over 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries competing in 32 different sports, the summer of 2024 will make Paris the second city after London to host the Olympic Games for the third time in the modern era, having previously hosted them in 1900 and 1924. For the first time in history, the opening ceremony will not take place in a stadium but will span several kilometers along the Seine which runs through the city. Some of the iconic sites of the City of Light will become venues for various events, including the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, and the Grand Palais.
Sustainability is one of the values promoted by the French Olympic Committee, aiming to make this the greenest Olympics in history. The city's carbon footprint will be reduced by promoting walking and cycling, offering a menu with more plant-based nutrition and less meat, deploying solar panels along the banks of the Seine, and using cardboard beds in the Olympic Village to minimize the use of harmful materials. Additionally, innovative technologies such as the use of augmented reality devices for both spectators and athletes will be integrated into the games for the first time.
The second day of the delegation's activities concluded with a festive gala which was attended by Israel's Ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka. The event included a special panel on investment opportunities, along with creating bridges and business collaborations, and a networking session for participants to forge connections and business opportunities with French and European businesses.
Participants in the closing event included:
Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance, France's national wealth fund, which manages over €36 billion and a diverse portfolio including direct investment in startups, small, medium, and large companies, as well as participation in VC and private equity funds.
Josée Sulzer, Chief Investment Officer of the Dassault Group, a massive French conglomerate with interests in various fields from transportation, aviation, and aerospace to luxury products. The group includes companies like Dassault Aviation, known for its Mirage and Rafale fighter jets, and Dassault Systèmes, a leader in 3D design software. The group also invests in real estate, media, and vineyards.
Arthur Dreyfuss, CEO of Altice France, a French telecom and media company led by French-Israeli billionaire Patrick Drahi.
Nicole Guedj, a Former French Minister and Secretary of State Attorney who has worked to improve Israel's image in France. Guedj has previously stated that the right way to fight antisemitism is through international cooperation.
Corinne Mrejen, Chief Impact Officer at Les Echos, one of Europe's leading financial and business newspapers, owned by the fashion conglomerate LVMH, which holds luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior. Les Echos, founded in 1908, is France's leading financial daily, advocating a liberal economic perspective.
Agnès Touraine, Chairwoman of French company Rexel, which specializes in electricity, heating, lighting, and plumbing infrastructures, as well as energy efficiency and renewable energy products and services. Rexel is a public company listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, employing around 27,000 people with nearly 2,000 sales points in 19 countries.
Other prominent French participants included:
Ghislaine Doukhan, CEO of Safran Power, a leading global manufacturer of advanced technologies for the aviation and aerospace industry.
David Corchia, CEO of TotalEnergies from the TOTAL group, one of the world's largest energy companies, specializing in the exploration, production, maintenance, and distribution of oil and natural gas.
Eric Hazan, senior partner at McKinsey France and a leading figure in Europe in the fields of growth, digital transformation, AI applications, generative AI, the metaverse, and harnessing technology for the common good.
Pierre-Eric Leibovici, Co-Founder and Partner at French VC fund Daphni, which invests in startups with a clear focus on social and environmental impact.
The Israeli delegation members represented the forefront of the Israeli economy, covering a wide range of leading industries such as real estate, tourism, infrastructure, retail, automotives, energy, and notably the high-tech sector. The owners and senior executives of some of Israel’s leading companies participated in the delegation and hold investments and international ventures worth billions of dollars worldwide, particularly in Europe and France.
Among the Israeli participants in the business delegation to Paris, led by Calcalist, Bank Hapoalim, and the Olympic Committee, included:
Alfred Akirov, Founder of real estate company Alrov; Harel Wiesel, owner of the Fox Group; Tzvika Schwimmer, CEO of Electra Consumer Products; Dori Manor, Chairman of the Lubinski Group; Dina Ben Tal Ganancia, CEO of El Al; Nili Shalev, CEO of the Israel Export Institute; Alon Haimovich, CEO of Microsoft Israel; Yael Arad, Chair of the Israeli Olympic Committee; Gil Agmon, CEO of Delek Automotive Systems; Yuval Cohen, Managing Partner at Fortissimo; Fiona Darmon, Managing Partner at SunVest Capital Partners; Natalie Refuah, General Partner at Viola Growth; Yanai Oron, General Partner at Vertex Ventures; Itzhak Dayan, Owner of Africa Israel Hotels; Lior Handelsman, General Partner at Grove Ventures; Sarit Firon, Managing Partner at Team8 Capital; Ariel Rotter, Managing Partner at JTLV; Ligad Rotlevy, Chairman of Ratio; Dani Shavit, CEO of the Lubinski Group; Nir Dagan, Founder & Managing Partner at Sky Fund; Tamar Yassur, Chair of Isracard; David Fattal, Founder and Owner of the Fattal Group; Itzik Avisror, Deputy CEO of Avisror Moshe and Sons; Yuval Cohen, Managing Partner at StageOne Ventures; Avi Baum, Chairman of Hilan; Ben Hamburger, Vice Chairman of Harel; Erez Shachar, Partner at Qumra Capital; Arik Kleinstein, Founding Partner at Glilot Capital; Itamar Furman, Head of Corporate Banking at Bank Hapoalim; Yahal Zilka, Managing Partner at 10D; Avi Fischer, Chairman and CEO of Clal Industries; Isaac Hillel, Managing Partner at Pitango; Amos Luzon, CEO of the Amos Luzon Group; Yossi Lobaton, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Israel; Tami Mazel Shachar, CEO of Incredibuild; Gilead Halevy, Founding Partner at Kedma Capital; Raz Oded, Chairman and CEO of Orc Land; Ben Pasternak, CEO of Aman Group; Or Shahar, Chairman of the Meir Group; Yasmin Lukatz, Founder and Executive Director of ICON; Tzahi Abu, CEO and owner of Abu Yehiel Group; Ron Izaki, Chairman of the Izaki Group; Tomer Cohen, CEO of the Mayer Group; Nir Arkin, CEO of Arkin Holdings; Hila Rom, Managing Partner at RUNI Ventures; Moshe Friedman, Founder of KamaTech; Roee Furman, CEO of Doral Energy Tech; Sivan Shmri Dahan, Managing Partner at Qumra Capital; Ronit and Rami Shbiro, owners of the Shbiro Group; Maya Netser, CEO of Cabaret Biotech; Dr. Shirit Kazum-Beiser, Head of the Sports Cardiology Clinic at Beilinson Hospital; Dr. Marc Lovenberg, Head of the Shoulder and Elbow Service in the Orthopedic Department at Beilinson Hospital; Nimrod Cohen, Managing Partner at TAU Ventures; Dror Glass, Founding Partner at Israel Secondary Fund; Hadas Grossman, CEO of Mint; Nitza Bilet, Managing Director of Lilit Cosmetics; Sharon Gerszbejn, Deputy CEO of Altshuler Shaham; Jonathan Benartzi, Managing Partner at First Time Ventures; Yossi Sarudi, Chairman and owner of H.Y. Group; Yaron Segev, CEO of RGE Group; Liat Hazout, CEO of Poalim Equity; Nachshon Kivity, CEO and owner of BSR Group; Yossi Avrahami, owner of the Yossi Avrahami Group.
