Business France has appointed Jean-Philippe Arvert as Regional Director for the Near & Middle East and French Trade & Investment Commissioner to the United Arab Emirates, as the agency seeks to deepen trade, investment and business cooperation between France and the region.
Arvert’s appointment comes as countries across the Near and Middle East accelerate economic transformation in areas including artificial intelligence, energy, advanced industry, infrastructure, healthcare, food security and mobility.
Business France said the region is becoming an increasingly strategic economic and investment partner for France, rather than simply an export market. French companies bring industrial expertise, technologies and innovation that align with regional development priorities, while investors from the region are increasingly engaging with France’s strategic sectors and innovation ecosystem.
Strengthening two-way economic cooperation
Business France aims to serve as a link between the two economic ecosystems by helping French companies identify opportunities, develop local partnerships and establish long-term operations in regional markets.
The agency also supports investors from the Near and Middle East seeking to explore France as a destination for investment and business projects.
Arvert brings more than 30 years of international experience in trade development and economic cooperation. During his career with Business France, he has held senior leadership roles in strategic markets including Indonesia, Vietnam and Germany, where he worked on export promotion, international business development and economic diplomacy.
His experience across diverse markets is expected to support an approach focused on local partnerships, market knowledge and long-term value creation.
Focus on turning opportunities into partnerships
Commenting on his appointment, Arvert said the region is undergoing a period of significant transformation, with major investments increasingly moving from ambition to implementation.
“The Near & Middle East is entering a remarkable period of transformation. What strikes me is not only the scale of investment taking place, but the speed at which ambitions are being translated into projects,” he said.
He added that French technologies, industrial capabilities and entrepreneurial expertise can contribute to the region’s development, while investors from the region are increasingly participating in France’s transformation and innovation ecosystem.
“My ambition is therefore very concrete: to create more bridges, more business and more long-term partnerships in both directions,” Arvert said.
He also emphasised Business France’s role in maintaining close engagement with companies and decision-makers to help turn business opportunities into tangible outcomes.
Supporting long-term regional expansion
Under Arvert’s leadership, Business France plans to focus on supporting the expansion of French companies in high-growth regional markets while attracting greater investment from the Near and Middle East into France.
The agency also intends to strengthen connections between companies, investors and innovation ecosystems in France and the region.
A key priority will be helping French businesses move beyond initial market exploration towards establishing long-term regional operations. Business France will also seek to deepen engagement with public and private-sector organisations involved in major economic transformation programmes.
Through its regional network, sector expertise, business missions, flagship events and advisory services, the agency will continue to support commercial, investment and partnership opportunities between French businesses and organisations across the Near and Middle East.
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