MINTUES - PLENARY SESSION 2 - FOCUS ON BUSINESS EXPERIENCE: INDUSTRIAL STRATEGIES AND FUNDING

“Coproduction is not only an idea and a vision, it’s a reality. It works!” said Michel Gonnet, Chairman of Eudoxia and an Ipemed expert. “All countries North and South of the Mediterranean are concerned,” he went on. Talking about the launch of the Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory, Michel Gonnet announced, “the recruitment of an academic specializing on this issue and the creation of a steering committee” to coordinate the Observatory. He is currently looking for financial partners and revealed the name of the first of these, BPI (French Public Investment Bank).
For Isabelle Bébéar, Director of International Development at BPI, “We work on two areas, innovation and international development. We see both the Mediterranean and Africa as strategic zones. The Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory will guide us, validate our strategies and allow us to put tools in place.”
Several companies testified to the success of partnerships between North and South.
“We started coproduction with Royal Air Maroc and a contract for aeroplane engines. The transfer of activities has seen us gain in maturity,” pointed out Jean-Jacques Van Der Slikke, Director of International Development and Vice-president for North Africa, Turkey and the Middle East at the Safran group. “Coproduction has proved a formidable tool for setting up in countries in which you want to win markets or be more competitive,” he continued.
When the French group Sofiprotéol bought the Moroccan Lesieur Cristal in 2012, it did so in partnership with local companies. “We took 41% of the shares and signed a shareholders’ pact with four Tunisian institutions. The result is balanced government. We have kept on the entire management team and encouraged management mobility in both directions,” stipulated Yves Delaine, who is Deputy CEO of Sofiprotéol and President of Lesieur.
After his experience of setting up a factory in France, Amin Ben Ayed, CEO of Misfat Group, praises the “Made in France” label that allows him to charge 20% to 30% more. “I take out loans in Tunisia and finance my French subsidiary with Tunisian dinars,” he added.
Taïeb Bayahi, CEO of TPS, spoke of his “Experience of going from South to North”. His aluminium profile company “works with a sub-contractor in Italy that manufactures accessories” that the Tunisian group buys. Both companies have created a joint venture, with 75% of the shares held by the Tunisian partner and 25% by the Italian company.
The Chairman of the National ICT Federation (UTICA) and Tunisian representative for the Franco-Tunisian Digital Alliance, Kais Sellami, wants to, “make Tunisia into a genuine digital platform. Global companies must come and invest in Tunisia through co-sourcing. Everything is based on expertise nowadays, there are no more boundaries.”


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Coordinator: Hichem BEN YAÏCHE, Chief Editor of New African

Introduction: Isabelle BEBEAR, Director of Development and International Affairs, BPIfrance,
               and Michel GONNET, IPEMED Expert, Chairman, Eudoxia
 
Jean-Jacques VAN DER SLIKKE, Director of International Development, VP North Africa, Turkey, Middle East, Groupe Safran  
Kais SELLAMI, Chairman of the National ICT Federation (UTICA) and Tunisian representative for the Franco-Tunisian Digital Alliance
Yves DELAINE, Deputy CEO, Sofiprotéol and President, Lesieur
Taieb BAYAHI, CEO, TPS
Khater ABI HABIB, CEO, Kafalat
Amin BEN AYED, CEO, Misfat Group