Invest In france Seminar 2017
Invest in France Seminar, January 19th
Unique investment and innovation partnerships opportunities
For the 2nd Edition of the Invest in France’s Month, the Embassy of France in Thailand, Business France, Board of Trade of Thailand and the Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce held a successful seminar at the French ambassador’s Residence to promote investment and innovation opportunities in France.
More than 100 participants coming from major Thai Companies attended the event and could learn and exchange on how to invest in France thanks to key speakers from BNP Paris bank and KPMG Thailand Consultancy Company. One panel on French sectors in France and opportunities allowed Thai participants to better understand strengths of France in key sectors like Tourism and Hospitality with Accor Hotels, the food industry with French CEO of Central Food Retail, Energy with Engie Group and Innovation/Technology with Dassault Systemes. A second panel permitted to share experience with already Thai investors in France or linked to France via technological partnerships: PTTGC, Thai Union Group, Double A, Sea Value, Mitr Phol.
Thai investments in France represent more than 40% of ASEAN investments in France, that’s to say Thailand ranks second after Singapore.
France is the second European trade partner of Thailand and Thailand is the second trade partner in ASEAN for France. The two countries share a long relationship history as this year will be celebrated 160 years of diplomatic relationship between France and Thailand. More than 300 French companies have set up a business in Thailand and employ more than 30.000 people.
The French economy is open to foreign investors
More than 30,000 French companies have set up business in foreign countries, while more than 20,000 foreign companies have made job-creating investments in France.
With over 960 investment decisions that created or maintained nearly 33,700 jobs, in 2015 France was Europe’s second leading recipient of job-creating investment (source: Business France Europe Observatory) and has been the leading destination in Europe for job-creating foreign investment projects in industry for the last 15 years (EY, 2016).
Foreign companies invested primarily in production/manufacturing operations, which accounted for 30% of all foreign investments in France. The number of R&D, engineering and design projects remained high, amounting to 9% of all foreign investment decisions. Foreign-owned subsidiaries in France were responsible for 28% of all business enterprise R&D expenditure nationwide, spending €8.6 billion, and more than 30% of French exports.
Over 140 ASEAN companies are established in France including PTTGC, THAI UNION FROZEN, DOUBLE A and SEA VALUE. Investments from ASEAN come mainly from Singapore and Thailand. More than 4000 jobs created or maintained since 2010, mainly decision-making centers, most of which were first time investments, and production/manufacturing operations. The agri-food sector represented more than half of overall ASEAN investment in France in 2015.
France is an attractive country
France has a numerous advantages for attracting foreign investment:
- Market size and location: France was the world’s fifth largest economy in 2015 after the United States, China, Japan, and Germany. France’s location, combined with first-class multimodal transport infrastructure, makes it an ideal springboard to other countries, continents and world regions across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
- A highly productive workforce: France is a country in which education is a key priority. Labor productivity is high in France on both a per-employee and hourly basis: France is ranked seventh in the world for hourly labor productivity. The competitiveness and tax credit (CICE) has helped manufacturers in France to enhance their cost-competitiveness.
- A land of innovation: France outstripped all its European counterparts in the 2015 Technology Fast 500 de Deloitte for the number of fast-growing technology companies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. France was also ranked first in Europe and third in the world in the Thomson Reuters Top 100 Global Innovators. The French tax system offers the most generous R&D tax treatment in the world, thanks to France’s research tax credit.
- A land of enterprise: France is a very buoyant market for net enterprise creation. In 2015, a total of 526,060 companies were founded, including no fewer than 10,000 startups.
In addition, France’s attractiveness as an investment location is also enhanced by its robust high-quality financial system, the strength and diversity of its industrial base, and high quality of life.