FRIEND was founded in December 1987 with the support of France’s Ministry for Regional Planning and Development.

FRIEND is currently headed by Mr François Essig, Conseiller d’Etat. Previously, Mr Essig worked for the Regional Planning and Development Agency (DATAR) and was Managing Director of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mission:

• To promote France as a premier business centre and a leading market that is attractive to internationals investors;
• To publish and distribute foreign-language documents concerning investment opportunities in France;
• To provide investors with a range of services to make their move to France a success.

The members of FRIEND work closely with the Invest in France Agency (the French agency for inward investment, which comes under the Ministère de l’Economie, des Finances et de l’Industrie), and are committed to combining their expertise within the framework of a collective, co-ordinated approach.

Below are the members of FRIEND. Click on the links to find out more information about them.

- Aderly (Lyon area economic development agency)
- Ouest Atlantique
- NFX - Nord France Experts
- Provence Promotion
- Team Côte d'Azur

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is an organization of member firms around the world devoted to client service excellence. Member firms offer services in audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory.

With access to the intellectual capital of approximately 150,000 people worldwide, member firms focus on client service through a global strategy executed locally in more than 140 countries.

Member firm clients include more than 80 percent of the world’s largest companies, as well as large national enterprises, public institutions, locally important clients and successful, fast-growing global companies. Strong financial performance is important to delivering measurable value to clients. For fiscal year 2007, aggregate member firm revenues exceeded US$23.1 billion, an increase of 15.5 percent over 2006.

The Deloitte member firms also offer a remarkable breadth and depth of industry offerings, providing a truly global perspective on today’s most challenging business issues.

Launched in September 2000, Euronext N.V., a subsidiary of NYSE Euronext, has successfully integrated the local exchanges of Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon and Paris as well as the London-based derivatives market LIFFE to provide users with a unified market that is broad, liquid and cost effective. Euronext is the largest central order book cash market in Europe and the second largest derivatives exchange in the world, by value of business traded.
Since April 4, 2007, Euronext is part of NYSE Euronext, a holding company created by the combination of NYSE Group, Inc. and Euronext N.V. NYSE Euronext operates the world’s largest and most liquid exchange group and offers the most diverse array of financial products and services.   NYSE Euronext, which brings together six cash equities exchanges in five countries and six derivatives exchanges in six countries, is a world leader for listings, trading in cash equities, equity and interest rate derivatives, bonds and the distribution of market data.  Representing a combined $30.3 trillion/€21.3 trillion total market capitalization of listed companies and average daily trading value of approximately $139 billion/€103 billion (as of September 30, 2007), NYSE Euronext seeks to provide the highest standards of market quality and integrity, innovative products and services to investors, issuers, and all users of its markets.

Paris EUROPLACE is the organization which promotes Paris as a financial market. It represents the major players in the financial market, namely corporate issuers, investors, brokerage firms, banking institutions, market authorities, law, accounting and consulting firms, and professional associations. Its main characteristic is precisely to bring together the multiplicity of players in the financial industry.

With 150 members, Paris EUROPLACE has gained recognition internationally for its role in promoting Paris as a financial market and coordinating all related activities.

Paris EUROPLACE conducts four major activities to promote and develop the Paris financial market:
- International Promotion
- Reforms & Action Programs
- Lobbying in France
- Lobbying at a European level

Total is active all along the petroleum chain, from the Upstream (oil and natural gas exploration, development and production as well as  LNG) to the Downstream (refining, marketing, trading and shipping of crude oil and refined products). The Group is also a player in power generation and in coal marketing.
In the Chemicals segment, Total manufactures both Base Chemicals (petrochemicals and fertilizers) and Specialty Chemicals (processed rubber, resins, adhesives and metal-plating). Lastly, Total is preparing the future of energy by helping to develop renewable energies (wind power, solar energy,
biomass) and alternative motor fuels.

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Created by the merger between Pernod and Ricard (1975), the Group has undergone sustained development, founded on both organic growth and acquisitions. The purchase of part of Seagram (2001) and the acquisition of Allied Domecq (2005) have made Pernod Ricard the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with sales of € 6.4 billion.
Pernod Ricard avails of a balanced portfolio, including a number of the most prestigious wine and spirit brands in the world: Ricard aniseed, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet whiskies, Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Stolichnaya vodka (distribution rights), Beefeater gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagne, as well Jacob’s Creek and Montana wines. 
Pernod Ricard is one of the world’s leading companies in wines and premium spirits, the market segments that are seeing the strongest growth prospects. The Group is number one in the ultra premium spirits market.
The Group favours a decentralised organisation, with brand owners and distribution networks established in each key market, and employs a workforce of 17,680 in 70 countries.
In addition, Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and thus encourages responsible consumption in order to prevent alcohol abuse.