Forum CCE North America 2026
Program & Speakers
Three days of high-level conferences, roundtables and networking in Houston.
Masters of ceremony: Axel Monnier (Grand Reporter) and Xavier Gesnouin. Preliminary program, subject to change.
Full program
Three days, one program
Welcome, CCE meeting & Texas Barbecue
Forum opening & welcome lunch
Welcome lunch for early arrivals (12:00–1:30 PM).
CCE internal meeting
2:00–3:30 PM.
CCE MembersTeam France kick-off
Hosted by Axel Monnier (Grand Reporter).
“Howdy, y'all!” — Texas Barbecue
6:00–10:00 PM · JBarM, 2201 Leeland Street, Houston.
Conference Day & Gala Evening
Opening remarks: France–United States
French Embassy, CCE, Regional Economic Service, Consulate General of Houston, Business France and the North American CCE.
“Medical Innovation”
Dr. Bill McKeon (Texas Medical Center).
“The First Artificial Heart”
Dr. Billy Cohn (BiVACOR).
“The Place of Europe and France between the United States and China”
Denis Deschamps (CCE) and Damien Loras (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs).
Energy and Decarbonization
Anne-Laure Chassanite (ENGIE NA), Tala Goudarzi (Torridon Group), Benoît Schmitt (SolidUltra). Moderator: Brian Korgel (University of Texas at Austin).
“USMCA & Free Trade Beyond the Walls”
Pablo Zarate (FTI Consulting) and representatives from the United States and Canada. Testimony: Jean-François Bonneté (BCI). Moderator: Benoît Catzaras (French Embassy in Washington).
AI & Data Centers: which models for the future?
Claire Gautier (Capgemini).
H Company, the new AI solution
Géraldine Lafontaine (H Company).
Cybersecurity: new risks and how to protect against them
Ouss Housni (ENGIE) and Andrew Nix (Schneider Electric).
“Energy Beyond Borders”
Luc Rémont (EDF). Interviewed by Axel Monnier (Grand Reporter).
Gala Evening
VIE awards ceremony and tribute to centenarian companies: SLB and CTP Environnement.
Closing Day
Opening of the day
Space Conference: the new stakes in space through 2050
Sophie Adenot (Astronaut) and Jean-Loup Chrétien (Astronaut), with the participation of NASA – Johnson Space Center.
The Franco-American inter-parliamentary relationship
Christopher Weissberg (National Assembly), Member of Parliament and Chair of the France–United States Friendship Group.
The CCIFI, EFE International, CCE and careXpat alliance
By a Representative of Carexpat.
Philanthropy, patronage and business
Khori Dastoor (Houston Grand Opera) and Debra Dunn (French American Cultural Foundation). Hosted by Claire Gautier (CCE USA South).
Closing panel and ceremony
The Venue
The Ismaili Centre, Houston
An exceptional space in the heart of Houston
The Forum will be held at the Ismaili Centre Houston — a contemporary architectural landmark near downtown Houston. Designed by Farshid Moussavi Architecture, this remarkable building combines light, geometry and cultural depth to create one of the most striking venues in North America.
Confirmed Speakers
They will be on stage
Axel Monnier
Grand Reporter
He will host the Forum as Master of Ceremonies.
Xavier Gesnouin
He will host the Forum as Master of Ceremonies.
William McKeon
President & CEO, Texas Medical Center
Keynote speaker on healthcare innovation. William McKeon leads the world's largest medical complex.
Sophie Adenot
Astronaut, ESA
French astronaut of the European Space Agency. TBC.
Anne-Laure Chassanite
CEO North America, ENGIE
Head of ENGIE in North America, she promotes French-American energy partnerships.
Luc Rémont
EDF, Honorary Chairman
Former CEO of EDF, a leading figure of France's energy transition.
Khori Dastoor
General Director and CEO, Houston Grand Opera
She leads one of the largest opera companies in the United States and embodies Houston's cultural influence.
Debra Dunn
President and Executive Director, French American Cultural Foundation
She works to strengthen cultural and educational ties between France and the United States.
Denis Deschamps
Editor, Décryptage géopolitique pour dirigeants
Tala Goudarzi
Partner, The Torridon Group
Brian Korgel
Professor, University of Texas at Austin
Frédéric Rossi
Director North America (USA & Canada), Business France
Practical Information
Everything you need to know
Venue
The Ismaili Centre — Near downtown Houston, Texas. A contemporary architectural landmark combining light, culture and geometry.
Dates
October 21–23, 2026. Wednesday afternoon (CCE members) · Thursday full day · Friday morning. Cocktail Wednesday evening, Gala dinner Thursday evening.
Contact
For any questions about the program, speakers or partnership opportunities.
cc********@***il.com