300 business leaders and agency partners come together on a quest for audacity

On May 30, risingSUD organised a special event at Casa Delauze that brought together 300 key figures from the business world and public institutions to hear inspirational accounts of how audacity can pave the way for innovation and growth.

How do you turn a small idea into a big success? What is the best time to launch a project? Do we have the right to make mistakes as we strive to reach our goals? Is it possible to create both positive social impact and business value? ... These were the main questions addressed at the round-table discussion that featured four honoured guests:

- Jean-MarcTASSETTO, the co-founder of Coorpacademy and former CEO of Google France, spoke about the future of education and training in a digital world dominated by artificial intelligence.

- Marc SIMONCINI, the founder of Meetic, a partner at Daphni, and a business angel on the TV investment show Qui veut être mon associé?, shared the secrets behind his greatest entrepreneurial successes.

- Sabrina HERLORY ROUGET, CEO of Aroma-Zone, recounted her method for reconciling growth with the environmental and social transitions in the cosmetics sector.

- Erik GRAB, the Vice President of Michelin, presented the innovation challenges facing a major international corporation and the future of mobility.

On behalf of Bernard KLEYNHOFF, the Chairman of risingSUD and Regional Councillor, Audrey BRUN-RABUEL, the CEO of the agency, and Isabelle CAMPAGNOLA-SAVON, the Regional Councillor, presented risingSUD’s major achievements for 2023. These included supporting 480 companies in their investment projects, among which 40% are committed to the region’s climate plan, 25% are international, and 25% are investing in the region for the first time.

The agency's major projects for 2024 were also presented, including risingSUD’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, the creation of a one-stop shop to promote the opportunities and advantages of the South of France, and the hosting of a delegation of Young Global Leaders during the Rencontres Economiques d’Aix economic forum.

The evening was concluded with words from Elisabeth BORNE, former French Prime Minister and current Member of Parliament for Calvados, and Renaud MUSELIER, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region and Deputy President of Régions de France. The latter noted, “The South of France is a land of innovation and audacity. Every day, we have companies that are breaking new ground, setting trends, and reinventing business models. These businesses can count on our tools and support to help them find the right drivers of performance so they can grow and develop in France and internationally. Our objective is clear: to mobilise €2 billion of investment for our strategic sectors, to create 80 000 jobs, and attract 500 companies to the Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region by 2028.”

Read our 2023 annual report (in French)

risingSUDcontact: Virginie VIAL ISNARD, Communications and Media Relations Project Manager