HEC Paris hosts the 2025 Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit
On Friday 6 June, HEC Paris welcomed the French stop of the Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit (SEES) on its Jouy-en-Josas campus. As 2024 marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, the 16th edition of the SEES gathered distinguished business leaders, policymakers, academic figures from the two countries, as well as the Consul General of China in Paris, for highly anticipated roundtables. The Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation (SIEF) led this initiative and brought together over 40 leading Chinese entrepreneurs to Europe for a week of high-level dialogue and engagement. As a European hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, HEC Paris was honored to contribute to this conversation and support new dynamics in China-EU business collaboration.
Former French Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Pr. Xiang Bing, Founding Dean of Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, and Pr. Andrea Masini, HEC Paris Dean of Faculty and Research, speaking during the SEES
The Summit kicked off with a welcome address by Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former French Prime Minister and Chairman of the China-Europe Entrepreneurs Summit, and Andrea Masini, Dean of Faculty and Research at HEC Paris. Their speeches both highlighted the importance of cross-continental collaboration in addressing global challenges.
Renowned leaders such as Xiang Bing, Founding Dean of Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, and Henri Proglio, former CEO of EDF and Veolia, followed with keynote speeches exploring the strategic role of China-Europe relations in a rapidly transforming world.
Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit participants in the Bellon Auditorium on HEC Paris campus
Fireside Dialogues on Industry and Sustainability
Two fireside chats brought together influential entrepreneurs and industry experts. The first discussion, moderated by Tony Dong of SIEF, examined Sino-French cooperation in reindustrialization with leaders such as Bruno Bouygues of GYS and Chen Renping of Zhejiang Mingtai. The second, focusing on gastronomy and sustainable food systems, featured Guillaume Gomez and William Krief, emphasizing innovation from farm to table.
A key highlight was a panel on sustainable urban development, which convened figures like Clémence Béchu, Yao Yichun, Du Huanzheng, and Charles Sun. Discussions explored circular economy models, low-carbon strategies, and the capital-technology nexus for urban transformation.
Hosted by HEC Paris in collaboration with the Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation, the Summit reaffirmed the role of academic institutions in shaping a more collaborative, sustainable future.
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