On August 26 and 27, 2026, the Roland-Garros stadium hosted a new edition of the Meeting of French Entrepreneurs (REF), organized by the Movement of French Enterprises (MEDEF).

For the 2026 edition, the REF took place in a particularly important context for France and Europe.

Less than a year before the next elections, in an environment marked by economic, geopolitical and social uncertainties, the discussions placed at the heart of the debates a value that has become essential: courage.

Courage as a driver of action

Producing, investing, recruiting, training, innovating, undertaking or reforming: behind these verbs lies the same determination, that of refusing to give in to resignation.

The REF 2026 thus offered an opportunity to reflect on France’s ability to regain confidence in its businesses, entrepreneurs and driving forces.

In a world facing profound transformations, the question is no longer simply how to accompany change, but also how to collectively choose the direction to take.

For businesses, this transformation means continuing to invest, create jobs and develop new skills, while addressing the major challenges of our time: the ecological transition, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, competitiveness and economic sovereignty.

Women of MEDEF: female leadership

The issue of female entrepreneurship and leadership held an important place at the REF 2026, through initiatives led by the Women of MEDEF network, chaired by Patricia Vialle.

On the morning of August 27, a meeting dedicated to women business leaders brought together female entrepreneurs, economic leaders and public figures for a dialogue and a roundtable discussion, with the participation of Aurore Bergé, Minister Delegate for Equality, as well as Véronique Louwagie, Mayor of L’Aigle and former Minister Delegate for Trade, Crafts and SMEs….

In an environment where companies need to attract new talent, develop new skills and devise new management models, the diversity of career paths, experiences and forms of leadership represents a genuine asset. It also makes it possible to better understand the transformations taking place in society and to imagine organizations that are more agile, more inclusive and more open to a diversity of talents.

Encouraging women to become entrepreneurs and take on positions of responsibility is therefore not merely a matter of representation. It is also a choice for the future of business. More open and diverse companies are better equipped to navigate the economic and social changes to come, as well as to build new models of leadership.

Through Women of MEDEF, female leadership thus emerges not as a separate issue, but as a fully-fledged dimension of the company of tomorrow.

MEDEF Overseas: the strength of diversity

At the REF 2026, France’s overseas territories highlighted their role as an essential component of the richness, diversity and global influence of the French economic model.

Drawing on their geographical, cultural and economic specificities, the overseas territories also appear to be genuine laboratories for innovation and attractiveness.

Tourism, culture, gastronomy, the local economy and the development of natural resources: all these sectors offer new development prospects and strengthen their potential on the international stage.

The presence of MEDEF Overseas at the REF 2026 thus helped highlight the strengths and distinctive features of island economies, while also emphasizing the need to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between mainland France and the overseas territories.

Karine Crève-Cœur, President of Caraïbes Incentive, presented the prospects for tourism development in Guadeloupe, as well as changing expectations among international visitors.

“The Caribbean is currently attracting a great many tourists, and we hope to surpass the one-million-visitor mark, across all categories: cruise passengers, tourists arriving by plane, leisure visitors, etc. The attractiveness of the overseas territories relies as much on their landscapes as on their identity, expertise and ability to create new experiences.”

From the Caribbean to the Pacific, from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic, France’s overseas territories are fully-fledged players in the French economy and contribute to its attractiveness, creativity and international influence.

This dynamic also relies on the commitment of partners who provide concrete support to entrepreneurs and overseas projects.

BRED Banque Populaire, a partner of MEDEF Overseas, is part of this approach by supporting economic development and assisting stakeholders across the territories.

French Touch: a potential to develop internationally

At the REF, the Elior Group is showcasing several iconic French Touch products: French Brioche and 808 natural mineral water.

Behind these products lies a simple ambition: to take French taste, traditions and expertise beyond France’s borders.

French Brioche and French Baguette are thus designed as accessible ambassadors for French baking. Inspired by recipes and traditions from mainland France and made with carefully selected ingredients, they convey an image of France that is authentic, welcoming and immediately recognizable.

Another flagship product presented by Elior is 808 natural mineral water, whose name refers to its source, located 808 meters underground. Sourced from the Sainte-Victoire massif, it too reflects the desire to promote French heritage and expertise internationally.

Louis Pezza, Export Manager, points out:

“Many foreigners are attracted to Made in France. Today, we see that, in souvenir shops, visitors are increasingly looking for products that genuinely represent French expertise and heritage. This is the approach taken by the Elior Group: it is committed to preserving and promoting French heritage by offering products made entirely in France, based on French expertise, and then distributed abroad.”

This approach therefore opens up a broader question: how can the image of the French Touch be transformed into a genuine economic and cultural force internationally? Beyond fashion and luxury, gastronomy, heritage, regional products and traditional craftsmanship all provide ways of showcasing a contemporary French identity.

The French Touch could thus become not only a signature, but a genuine universal language for telling the world about France and its expertise.

Made in France, and beyond

Another focus of the REF 2026, Maison Nicolas showcased its flagship product: a non-alcoholic aperitif that illustrates changing consumption habits and growing interest in new ways of enjoying convivial moments.

A historic name in wine distribution in France, Maison Nicolas advocates an approach in which the product is not limited to its consumption. Whether wine or aperitif, it becomes an invitation to travel, discover, share and experience.

While its French roots remain at the heart of its offering, the company also promotes products made in France while remaining open to expertise and products from other European countries. This approach reflects changing consumer expectations, with consumers increasingly attentive to quality, product origin, but also to their consumption experience.

Xavier Leclerc, Network Director, explains :

“At our company, for example, all our products are French. If we take this one, it is indeed ‘Made in France’. Our wines are also French, with around twenty estates within the Castel Group in particular.

We genuinely promote French wine production and are fully committed to this approach. But we also need to remain open to Europe. Today, consumers travel easily and sometimes like to rediscover, through the products they taste, memories of their holidays. This can be reflected, in particular, in food and wine pairings.

We can absolutely offer Italian, Spanish or Portuguese wines, provided they always meet one essential criterion for us: very high quality. That is above all what we are looking for.

Our objective is therefore to offer this quality to our customers and to ensure that every product provides them with a genuine experience, synonymous with pleasure and discovery.”

From Made in France to European openness, Maison Nicolas thus illustrates a broader trend: consuming French products while remaining curious about the world.

The product then becomes a genuine vehicle for cultural exchange. A wine can tell the story of a terroir, evoke a landscape or bring back a travel memory; a increasingly diverse experiences, the French art of living can continue to flourish without closing itself off non-alcoholic aperitif can likewise reinvent moments of conviviality and respond to new expectations.

In a world where consumers travel more and seek increasingly diverse experiences, the French art of living can continue to flourish without closing itself off. Preserving its identity, promoting its expertise and remaining open to the changing world: this may be the true strength of Made in France today.

A space for dialogue and encounters

In a context marked by uncertainty, these discussions take on particular significance: they not only allow new ideas to emerge, but also provide an opportunity to share concrete experiences in response to the profound changes affecting businesses.

All regions were represented, and several ministers attended the event. Among them, Vincent Jeanbrun, Minister for Cities and Housing, was present at the MEDEF Île-de-France stand.

At the end of these two days at Roland-Garros, one conviction emerges from the REF 2026: the future is not built by waiting, but through action.

Faced with economic, social and geopolitical uncertainties, the challenge for entrepreneurs and public officials alike is now to know how to turn constraints into opportunities, to dare to invest, innovate, pass on knowledge and prepare for the long term.

The courage discussed during these two days is therefore not only about taking risks. It is also about choosing a direction, placing trust in the driving forces of the economy and continuing to move forward when the future remains uncertain.

The REF 2026 was thus a call to action: not to wait for the future to arrive, but to help build it today.