Speakers 2026

Bilal Alnemr was born in Damascus, in Syria. He discovered the violin at a very young age with a small instrument given to him by his father, and developed a passion for classical music, winning national competitions in Syria at the age of 11. Spotted by French teachers, he joined the Conservatoire d’Aix-en-Provence in 2010 and went on to study in Paris at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse. He then furthered his studies at the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin and performed with prestigious orchestras, including the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. In 2019, he founded the Vauvenargues Festival to thank the village that welcomed him and his family during the war in Syria, and to promote musical exchanges between Syria and the wider world. His journey symbolises art as a vehicle for dialogue between cultures.

Jacques Aschenbroich is a French business executive and has been Chairman of the Board of Directors at Orange from 2022 to 2026. A graduate of the École des Mines, he began his career in the civil service, notably in the Prime Minister’s office in 1987–1988. He then joined Saint-Gobain, where he held several senior management positions in France and internationally, notably in Brazil, Germany and the United States, before becoming Deputy Chief Executive of the group. In 2009, he joined Valeo, where he served first as Chief Executive Officer and then as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until 2022, before becoming Chairman of the Board of Directors and subsequently Honorary Chairman. He is also a director of BNP Paribas and TotalEnergies, as well as Chairman of the French American Foundation France. He is recognised for his industrial experience and his expertise in the governance of major international groups.

A graduate of the École nationale de la statistique et de l’administration économique (ENSAE) in 1996 and the École nationale d’administration (ENA) in 2000, Maya Atig began her career at the French Treasury Directorate, where she held various positions until 2016. She then joined the Fédération nationale du Crédit Agricole as Deputy CEO, overseeing finance and risk management for the regional banks. Since March 2020, she has served as CEO of the French Banking Federation (FBF), where she is known for her commitment to diversity and key economic and financial issues. Her career reflects recognized expertise in both the public and banking sectors, with a strong focus on macroeconomic and social challenges.

Co-founder of August Debouzy alongside former diplomat Olivier Debouzy, Gilles August has led the firm since 1995. He is a member of the Paris and New York Bars. His practice focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions and private equity, while also covering corporate law, commercial litigation, arbitration, and white-collar criminal law. For the past 25 years, Gilles August has advised leading players in both the French and international economies. Driven by a modern vision of legal counsel, he has consistently positioned his firm at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship. His public engagements, as well as the firm’s initiatives, reflect this commitment — including the *Start You Up* program, launched in 2013 to help French startups grow, and the *Olivier Debouzy Prize*, awarded each year to the most innovative legal thought leader.

Olivier Babeau is a French academic, essayist, and consultant, known for his analyses of economic, educational, and technological issues. A graduate of ESCP and the École normale supérieure de Cachan, he has taught management sciences at Paris-Dauphine, Paris VIII, and Bordeaux, and has also served as an adviser in ministerial offices, notably to Roger Karoutchi and François Fillon. Founder and president of the Sapiens Institut, he is a regular contributor to media outlets. Author of around ten essays, including "L’Ère de la flemme" (2025) and "Ne faites plus d'études : Apprendre autrement à l’ère de l’IA" with Laurent Alexandre (2025), he analyses the transformations linked to innovation and advocates for a more agile and less bureaucratic society, while warning of the risks of AI.

CEO and founder of the investment company Blue like an Orange Sustainable Capital, he works to finance projects likely to generate a positive impact in emerging countries. Managing Director of the World Bank until 2016 and former Chief Financial Officer of Société Générale and Crédit Agricole, he is also the author of numerous articles and books on globalisation and the international financial system, including "Money honnie: what if finance could change the world?" (2016), or "Do we (seriously) want to change the world?" (2020)

A recognized leader for her expertise in strategy, geopolitics, and the technology sector, Marie-Pierre holds a PhD in Geopolitics from Université Paris-Sorbonne and completed doctoral studies in International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. After leading divisions at Dassault Systèmes, she served as Deputy CEO at Bull and Naval Group. Currently, she is the CEO of Institut Montaigne, a board member of La Poste Group (where she chairs the Quality and Sustainable Development Committee), and an independent director for companies such as ComGest and Exclusive Networks. Her career reflects a commitment to international engagement, innovation, and addressing major economic and technological challenges.

Maud Bailly is a graduate of ENS-Ulm, Sciences Po and ENA (promotion République). She joined the Inspectorate General of Finance in 2007, where she carried out a number of strategic and financial audit assignments in partnership with international institutions (World Bank, IMF, etc.). In 2011, she joined SNCF, where she was successively appointed Director of the Paris-Montparnasse station, Deputy Director of the TGV product for the Paris region, and then Director of the Trains business line. In 2015, she joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Manuel Valls as Head of Economic and Digital Affairs. In 2017, she joined Accor as Director of Digital Strategy, where she steered the group's technological transformation. At the end of this mission, she was chosen to develop Accor's business in Southern Europe. In 2023, she was appointed Managing Director of Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems and joined the Executive Committee of the Luxury & Lifestyle division of Accor.

Julien Bancilhon, psychologist at the Antony Day Hospital and editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Le Papotin", a publication founded in 1990 by Driss El Kesri, an educator at the Antony Day Hospital, which is run by an editorial board comprising around forty journalists with autism spectrum disorders. The spin-off programme, “Les rencontres du Papotin”, launched based on an idea by directors Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache (“The Intouchables”), is the highlight of the autumn 2022 season at France Télévisions, and has notably welcomed the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron. Since then, numerous figures from the worlds of culture, sport and politics have taken part in the “Papotin” journalists’ unconventional interviews.

Emmanuelle Barbara, Senior partner at August Debouzy, specialist in Employment & Social Welfare Law, has been a member of the Paris Bar since 1993. As a Managing Partner of August Debouzy from 2001 to 2017, she created the labor department, which is involved in all areas of employment law and the development of HR strategies. In fifteen years, her team has become a leading provider of labor law services and advice. In 2012, 2018 and 2024, Emmanuelle Barbara received the “Lawyer of the Year” award in labor law from Best Lawyers magazine. Moreover, she teaches at the Master’s level (Master 2) at Sciences Po Paris Law School. She also actively participates, within multiple think tanks, in the debate on the evolution of French labor law.

Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and the École nationale d’administration. She dedicated nearly 20 years to public service, notably at the Directorate-General of the Treasury and the Permanent Representation of France to the European Union. She also served as a technical advisor in the office of the Minister of the Economy and later as Deputy Director for Banks and Public Interest Financing.
She then moved to the financial sector as Deputy CEO of the Fédération nationale du Crédit Agricole, before becoming Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister in 2010. After a period at the Inspection générale des finances, she led the French Banking Federation and the Association française des banques from 2014 to 2019. She subsequently served as Secretary General of the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, and was appointed Chair of the Autorité des marchés financiers in 2022.

Olivia Barreau, a trained actress, founded the Moi & Mes Enfants association in 2017 to support single-parent families. Committed to the cause, she has helped over 2,000 families, organized 450 events, and created two solidarity-based community spaces in Paris. These inclusive and accessible spaces are designed for single-parent families, but are open to everyone. As France’s ambassador for World Single Parent Day 2025, she advocates for the recognition and autonomy of single parents in France.

As a renowned academic, Gérard Bekerman began his career as an assistant to Raymond Aron at the Collège de France. He continued his career as a visiting professor at UCLA (Los Angeles) and the University of Paris II. He is currently co-director of the Essec Finance Chair. He is also the author of numerous scientific publications and authoritative works on public accounts and international monetary and financial issues. A member of Afer since 1987, he became its director in 2005 and its chairman in 2007. Graduated of the École Normale de Musique, he is the founder and chairman of the International Competition for Outstanding Piano Amateurs, as well as the chairman of the Long-Thibauld Foundation, whose aim is to support talented young people in the professional music world.

Pierre Bessé is CEO of Bessé, a family-run, independent company based in Nantes. As a specialist in insurance consultancy, he pushes back the boundaries to improve risk management for medium-sized and large companies. His company has topped the risk manager satisfaction rankings for the third year running. At the dawn of the 2010s, Pierre Bessé was one of the first voices to urge entrepreneurs to protect themselves against the cyber threat. He has also been involved in the fight against cancer for many years, working with the Institut Curie and the Institut Gustave Roussy to train managers in the challenges of working with cancer.

Born in Beirut (Lebanon), of Swiss and British nationality, Samantha Besson holds a doctorate in international law. She began her career as a post-doctoral researcher at Columbia Law School (USA) and then at Oxford University (UK). She has been Professor of Public International Law and European Law at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) since 2005, and is also a visiting lecturer at numerous universities and law schools around the world. A specialist in international, European and comparative human rights and democracy law, she regularly advises the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. A member of the Committee of the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences and an associate member of the Institute of International Law, she will be appointed professor at the Collège de France in 2019. As holder of the ‘International Law of Institutions’ chair, she is continuing her work on innovation in the international institutional order.

Jean-Michel Blanquer is a jurist and professor of public law, holding a master's degree in philosophy and a DEA (postgraduate diploma) in political science from Sciences Po Paris. He worked as a researcher at the French Institute of Andean Studies in Bogota until 1991, then taught law at Panthéon-Assas University and later at the University of Tours. As a professor of public law at Sciences Po Lille, he directed the Institute of Advanced Latin American Studies at Paris 3-Sorbonne Nouvelle University until 2004, before being appointed Rector of French Guiana. In October 2006, he joined the Ministry of National Education as deputy chief of staff to the minister. He later served as Rector of the Créteil Academy and then as Director General of School Education (Dgesco) at the Ministry of National Education from 2010 to 2012. In 2013, he became Director General of ESSEC Business School. In May 2017, he was appointed Minister of National Education. In March 2024, he took over as President of Terra Academia, a school for ecological transformation launched by Veolia.

Marianne Blayau is an important figure in music education in France, known for her commitment to promoting artistic practice in schools. She is the founder and general director of Orchestre à l'école, an organization created in 2008 to develop orchestras within schools. As early as 2004, she played an active role in setting up the project, helping to structure and expand it across the country. Her work is based on a strong belief: collective music practice is a powerful tool for academic success and personal development. Thanks to her dedication, thousands of students, often with limited access to culture, have the opportunity to learn an instrument as part of a group. She promotes essential values such as cooperation, perseverance, and equal opportunities through arts education.

Lydéric Bocquet is a French physicist renowned for his groundbreaking work on nanoscale fluid dynamics, blending theory, experimentation, and molecular simulation. A graduate of the École normale supérieure, he joined the CNRS in 1995 after completing his PhD in statistical physics. He later became a professor at Lyon 1 University, then at the ENS Paris, while serving as a CNRS senior researcher. Lydéric Bocquet also directs the Pierre-Gilles de Gennes Institute for Microfluidics and holds the "Liliane Bettencourt Chair of Technological Innovation" from 2022 and 2023 at the Collège de France. His research, published in top journals like Nature and Science, has uncovered extraordinary phenomena such as frictionless flows and quantum effects in confined fluids. A member of the French Academy of Sciences and recipient of the 2024 CNRS Innovation Medal, he is equally committed to scientific outreach and technological transfer, even exploring everyday physics like stone-skipping and cooking.

Estelle Brachlianoff is a graduate of the École Polytechnique and the Ponts et Chaussées engineering school. She joined the Val-d’Oise infrastructure department of the Paris metropolitan area in 1998 as head of the major infrastructure department. In 2002, she became advisor to the Prefect of the Ile-de-France region, in charge of transportation and development. She joined Veolia Environmental Services in 2005 as special advisor to the CEO. She became CEO of Veolia Environmental Services Cleaning and Multiservices in 2008 and of Veolia Environmental Services Ile-de-France in 2010. In 2012, she became CEO of Veolia Environmental Services in the UK. She was also a member of the President’s Committee of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from 2013 to 2018 and was President of the French Chamber of Britain from June 2016 to July 2018. A member of Veolia’s executive committee since 2013 and director of the UK and Ireland zone from 2013 to 2018, Estelle Brachlianoff was Veolia’s deputy CEO since September 1, 2018 to 2022. Since 2019, Estelle Brachlianoff has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Hermès International and a member of its Audit and Risk Committee and its CAG-CSR Committee. On July 1, 2022, She became Chief Executive Officer of Veolia.

A partner in August Debouzy’s Public, Regulatory & Environmental team since 2014, Vincent Brenot has 25 years of experience in public law and environmental law. He advises French and international clients on public contracts, foreign investment control, and parliamentary inquiry committees. He also advises on environmental law matters, particularly in the areas of renewable energy, circular economy, and contaminated land and brownfield sites, especially in connection with real estate and M&A transactions. He has been the only French lawyer ranked as a Global Elite Thought Leader since 2021 in Who’s Who Legal’s Environment category.” He was also recognized in the Forbes France ranking of the 40 best lawyers advising CAC 40 companies in 2021, 2024, and 2025.

Éric Buge is a French jurist and historian, specializing in public law and political institutions. A graduate of the École normale supérieure and an agrégé in History, he teaches constitutional law as an associate professor at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University. He began his career at the French National Assembly before becoming a maître des requêtes at the Conseil d’État. In 2025, he was appointed Director of Legal Affairs for the Ministries of National Education and Sports. Author of several books, including "Droit de la vie politique" (2018) and L’Éclipse de la vertu; Une histoire de l’exemplarité des gouvernants en démocratie (2026). He is also the founder of the association "Parlons démocratie" and recipient of the European Prize for Democratic Innovation. His work focuses on transparency, participatory democracy, and the ethics of governance, while advocating for the renewal of political and institutional practices.