No 69
46
our guest
Patrice Filoche, president of the Managing Board of the French – Serbian Chamber of Commerce
Beaujolais, metro and old friendship Becoming acquainted with each other’s traditions will enrich the mutual relations and renew the French – Serbian friendship, and thus it will make the economic cooperation path easier for both countries, says Patrice Filoche
O
n the 17th of November this year for the first time a Beaujolais Nouveau wine was given a traditional welcome in Belgrade. The central manifestation gathered the French community in Belgrade and the Beaujolais night was celebrated at the streets of Belgrade. It is about the manifestation which is being celebrated in the last Thursday in November in France and it is six-year old event. It has been spread out to 150 countries to whom Serbian joined this year. Beaujolais is the new red wine made of game sort of grape. I am happy that this manifestation of drinking of new wine will become popular here in Serbia too and that we will share our love towards wine with you, said Patrice Filoche, president of the Managing Board of the French – Serbian Chamber of Commerce. This bilateral-economic asso-
ciation organized this event considering that the becoming acquainted with each other’s traditions will enrich the mutual relations and renew the French – Serbian partnership and thus it will make the economic cooperation path easier for both countries. During its fouryear long tradition the French – Serbian Chamber of Commerce gathers 115 members and represents 85 enterprises, where the noteworthy are Alstom, Axa, Dannone, Lafarge, L’Oreal, Michelin, as well as Credi Agricole, Findomestik, and Societe Generale Bank. The general manager of Somboled Patrice Filoche is at the head of the French – Serbian Chamber of Commerce. He became the president of Somboled after this company was integrated into the Dukat business system which has been running a business within the Laktalis group since 2007. Before he was elected the president of the French – Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Filoche worked for the French international companies in Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain. Last few months have been known for many activities carwww.pks.rs
ried out by the French – Serbian Chamber of Commerce as well as for the big project which will be realized in cooperation with the French companies, which were quite good reasons to have a talk with Patrice Filoche. When was the French – Serbian Chamber of Commerce founded? What is its role and what are its achievements? Between 2005, when the French Serbian Business Club was founded, and 2009 the Club started receiving an increasing number of different demands from French firms, showing more and more interest for this market. Considering that it is the role of French Chambers of Commerce abroad to provide help to French firms, especially to the SMEs, the decision was made to transform the Club into the Chamber. We were accepted in UCCIFE (Union of French Chambers of Commerce and Industry abroad) in July 2009 and have been developing our activities as the Chamber ever since. Our main goal is to reinforce the French-Serbian relations, through promoting Serbia in France and providing support to French firms, both by helping them enter this market and supporting them once they are here.