Hi guys,
On Wednesday evening, we were honoured to have secured a meeting with MEDEF, represented by their International executives (mafia style business etiquette). MEDEF essentially represents a confederation of French businesses comprising approx 800,000 members spanning across all sectors of industry. This body is basically the engine room for all European business activities, strategies & initiatives. They build business networks across countries & all industries.
Mr Thierry Courtaigne (Vice President, Director General) of MEDEF welcomed us and started off by saying how happy he was to be able to host us, with particular emphasis on the SA/French business partnership initiatives going forward. He is the most supreme person on the French business side of things & he pointed out that he had the privilege of hosting President Jacob Zuma in late 2007, just before JZ was elected to office with the view of setting the scene for the type of initiative that we're now working on. He went on further to say what an honour it was to meet with Tata MADIBA & Thabo Mbeki some time back as well. Tata MADIBA is a big name here & there is no doubt that he is the world's most respected person, we see that in a BIG way here because Paris is very cosmpolitan so you get a wide perspective.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the "big-wigs" in business here in Europe;
1. Phillipe Gautier (Director of Africa & Indian Ocean business) - reiterated Europe's expression of interest in the French/SA business partnership.
2. Guillem Batlle - reinforced the French support for Africa's development with key emphasis on SA's role in leading the process.
3. Gilles Dabetzies from the CCIP (Paris Chamber of Commerce), he expained the CCIP alliances & partners & the strategy/framework for the French/SA partnership.
4. Andre-Luc Moliner - happy that Franois Steyn is now part of the French national rugby team, there is a game next Saturday here in Paris that he won't be missing. He explained the G20 initaitives & strategies of the 27 EU countries & Africa's role in achieving the overall objectives.
5. Gerard Wolf (EDF) - EDF is the French electricity generation & transmission company for over 30yrs. Gerard was involved in the Koeberg project in SA & he is passionate on working with SA on renewable energy projects, co-gen plants, hydro, solar & wind powered plants, not forgetting Nuclear power plants which actually see to work extremely well here in France. They generate 88% of France's total power supply.
Business execs in attendance were from Barclays Capital, AREVA [all divisions] (we met with Dr. Serge Lafont, Snr VP - Projects in SA), Bouygues Construction, etc. all very high ranking businessmen here in Europe & globally.
Basically, the scene has been set & agreements have been signed at presidential levels, etc. & SA has the opportunity for some serious business partnership strategies & we were very pleased to be at the forefront of such an address. The French seem genuinely passionate about SA's energy sector development. Academic partnerships are being negotiated in the areas of Science & Technology, Nuclear, etc. Eskom & EDF apparently have a long-standing relationship since 1982 with Koeberg, etc. & the spark just needs to be re-ignited to create a win-win situation & leverage off this partnership for other sectors.
Obstacles which SA needs to address, according to MEDEF;
1. Predictability - government is seen as indecisive about future power generation plans, etc i.e. more coal-fired power stations (Medupi & Kusile). I'm sure the French would've loved the Nuclear plan to have excelled.
2. Shared-Value - SA is seen as one-sided when contracting (not a win-win outcome). We don't agree with this, hey Albertyn?
