Jean-Pierre Brard & Yejing Zhu
Chambers of Commerce, employers’ unions, and possibly business clubs active at Départemental level: these are the business support structures traditionally present in the French regions. Each of them naturally possesses unique potential in terms of expertise, knowledge of specific markets, international trade, etc. Where foreign trade is concerned moreover, both the CCIs and the employers’ unions – most notably Medef – organise trade missions abroad with their corporate delegations. However, in a town just to the east of Paris, support for companies has taken a totally original turn on account of the economic development policy initiated by its Mayor.
Montreuil, a town in the Seine-Saint-Denis département, has a little more than 91,000 inhabitants and around 3,000 companies (including non-trading property companies, registered addresses, etc.). These include the head offices of Axara, Blay Foldex, the Nouvelles Frontières Group and Ubisoft as well as other prestigious names such as the BNP Paribas Group with its information systems department. Magnificent glass office blocks are mushrooming – not without a certain style and in accordance with town planning considerations, it has to be said. A socially mixed area where the working classes rub shoulders with a young, more wealthy population, the département’s main city is unquestionably one of surprising contrasts.
Montreuil, with its long working-class tradition, is looking to the future. By the side of the Paris ring-road tower the modern buildings of the CGT Union, just opposite a Carrefour shopping centre. In this town, the epicentre of Eastern Paris, respect for trades, industry and manual labour is not impinging on economic development. Quite the contrary. In Montreuil, social policy and economic development form a win-win duo. It is an idea that Jean-Pierre Brard, member of parliament, mayor and a political animal familiar to the French has been putting into practice for more than 20 years now.
An association for economic initiative
Probably because of its political history – Montreuil was for a long time a bastion of the French Communist Party and Jean-Pierre Brard is a former member – the town’s great international tradition is clearly in evidence. In terms of cooperation, Montreuil actively supports many developments in Mali and organises numerous cultural exchanges with the PECO countries, Vietnam and China. And it was precisely the transformation of this ability to maintain long-lasting political relationships with authorities abroad that engendered support programmes for companies in Montreuil.
It all began in 1984 when exchanges with the German town of Cottbus led to an invitation to the Leipzig International Trade Fair (in the ex-GDR), the indispensable and almost unique business crossroads for companies from West and East alike. It was on this occasion that both the town council and businesses in Montreuil first understood all the advantages of calling on political relationships for the benefit of economic partnerships in countries where public administration plays a major role. As early as 1986, the Algerian authorities in their turn, invited the mayor of Montreuil to participate in the international Trade Fair in Algiers. The following year, no fewer than 20 companies from the town went to Algeria. The operation has been renewed every year since and has never been cancelled despite the civil wars.
On 12th February1988, in order to organise these trips abroad for business delegations, Jean-Pierre Brard and several company directors had the idea of founding the Montreuil Association for Business Initiatives (AMIE). ”Unlike a municipal department, its structure as an association has allowed it to make its member companies responsible for themselves. It also has a non-administered and more flexible form than if it was directly responsible to the Town Hall. Since the Board is made up of entrepreneurs, they remain free to direct the association’s activities towards the markets they choose,” says Camille Sari, director of AMIE since its creation. For several years, the association was nonetheless presided over by Jean-Pierre Brard himself, which doubtless did much to consolidate the structure before it was ready to run under its own steam. And Monsieur Brard, for all that he is a member of the Communist and Republican group of deputies, adds with a smile, “It’s not the vocation of the Mayor to preside over a sort of employers economic development association.”
One of a kind
Today, AMIE celebrates its 20 years of existence and has 289 member companies, mainly from Montreuil. International trade remains its main concern. As such, it undertakes trade missions with entrepreneurs in 52 countries. The underlying theme of these is to accompany com-panies and their directors to countries where politics plays a role in commercial negotiations. Algeria, Vietnam and China are amongst the destinations given as examples by leaders of the association.
Subsidised to the tune of 60,000 euros by Montreuil town council and 23,000 euros by the Ile-de-France Regional Council, AMIE offers all its support, consulting and network organisation services free of charge to its members. Housed within council premises (in the Atrium), the salary of its director is paid by them. In 2006, a total of 157,000 euros was allo-cated by the town council to the association (146,000 euros in 2007).
This unique commitment, both in form and content, of a town council to the economic development of its region has not failed to solicit curiosity and interest. Firstly on the part of the Chambers of Commerce and Ubifrance (the government foreign trade agency) who are the natural players when it come to advising and supporting companies on foreign markets. “A great many of our operations are carried out in collaboration with the CCIP (Paris CCI) and Ubifrance,” says Camille Sari. “Our structure is complementary to that of the Chambers of Commerce since we act as a local interface. During pre-parations for the Algiers Trade Fair for example, the CCIP doesn’t campaign in Montreuil in order to leave us a free hand. Similarly, if some of our members wish to participate in specific industry sector events abroad, we introduce them to the Chamber of Commerce because AMIE works across all sectors. We share our expertise.” Interest has also been shown by towns adjoining Montreuil, where several business clubs have been founded in recent years. Other associations, even if they have not made international trade their speciality, regularly call on AMIE to comment on the problems experienced by their members. These clubs, under the umbrella of ACTEP (Association of Eastern Paris Regional Organisations) are preparing a business fair destined to succeed the Montreuil Business Fair.
Launching-pad for SMEs
Preparing the ground with local politicians and French embassies. Choosing the logistics and interpreters. Scrupulously selecting, according to the realities of the markets, which businesses will participate. AMIE carries out all these tasks - essential to successful prospecting in a foreign country - on behalf of its members. It is a job that requires so much time and money as well as skilled staff that no small company could possibly do it alone. AMIE is directed solely at SMEs, moreover.
Besides conferences, “AMIE organises an inter-company network meeting to familiarise entrepreneurs with various subjects that one generally learns in a high-level business school. It is a way of informing these company directors, who in SMEs have rarely attended such schools, of certain techniques or subjects,” continues Camille Sari. The monthly meeting is attended by twenty or so companies and financed by the regional council and AMIE.
Another event is the business club, an offshoot of AMIE, where on the second Thursday of the month, fifty company directors meet for dinner for the purpose of networking. Countless entrepreneurs from Montreuil or other towns - since the club is open to all - have been able to construct enriching relationships, forge local synergies and even discover an enthusiasm for international trade and foreign markets.
At a time when French Chambers of Commerce are being asked to identify potential new exporters, an association such as AMIE is surely already a shining example of the trend, so essential to the national economy, that consists of encouraging small businesses to dare to enter the international arena? The municipality of Montreuil is more than willing to share this model.
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