Saybus awarded 2020 Best Project for Internationalization, by the National Committee of the “Conseillers du Commerce Extérieur de la France” (French Foreign Trade Advisors or CCEs)!
France on the international stage
How did Saybus internationalize?
For more than a year, Saybus has been significantly developing its business and visibility on the international stage. To carry out its internationalization, our company has leaded several substantive challenges, among which we can highlight two major actions: our Rebranding process, and the development of international partnerships with foreign peers.
Through these achievements, Saybus fulfilled all the requirements to candidate to the 2020 Grand Prix for Internationalization, created by the CCEs.
Who are the French Foreign Trade Advisors (CCEs)?
The CCEs gather together 4,500 businesswomen and men and experts in the international domain promoting France’s development for more than 120 years. Present in every region of France and in more than 150 countries. They are spread across 8 major regions:
- France
- Africa – Indian Ocean
- Latin America – The Caribbean
- North America
- Asia Pacific
- Eurasia
- Europe
- Southern Mediterranean – Middle East
What are CCEs missions?
CCEs carry out concrete actions on a daily basis in partnership with public and private players who have a role in promoting and supporting the internationalization of French companies. Appointed by the Prime Minister, CCEs are vested with four missions by public authorities.
Advising public authorities:
CCEs inform decisions by public authorities through their regular participation in strategic council meetings of the government and regions and with foreign embassies to which they forward their analyses, opinions and recommendations on international trade or specific market issues.
Supporting businesses:
CCEs support businesses in their international development through the long-term monitoring of structured projects or in a more limited fashion through operational advice or the facilitation of relationships. CCEs also contribute to the modernization of the support mechanism for foreign trade.
Training young people for the international stage:
CCEs raise young people’s international awareness by relating their experiences at higher education institutions or by sharing know-how in the context of specific actions. CCEs missions also consists in promoting Volunteering for International Experience (V.I.E.) which opens the way for 10,000 young people to carry out missions in French businesses operating abroad every year.
Promoting the attractiveness of France:
CCEs promote France’s assets and facilitate investment decisions across France through contacts they enjoy with business leaders and economic authorities in the countries where they operate.
Take a look at the video presentation of the CCEs 120th anniversary
Grand Prix for Internationalisation
What is the Grand Prix for Internationalization?
Every year for the past 8 years, the National Committee of the CCEs awards an International Grand Prix to young talents, aiming to generate and increase international entrepreneurship by highlighting field actions initiated by French companies.
This reward brings a message of hope, perspectives and optimism for our young people. This competition honors the best university papers and academic work of young talents with 2- to 5-year further education degrees, who have accomplished an internship abroad or carry out international assignments on their current work-linked training.
Every year, each regional committee of the CCEs first organizes a local competition. On February 7st, 2020 Saybus – based in Lyon – won the award within the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region.
At a later stage, the national competition was held in Paris on September 24th, 2020. All of the regional winners confronted each other during the national final. The final leg of the competition ? An oral examination of 10 minutes in which our collaborator Alissia BEGAG, pursuing a Master in Business Development in apprenticeship at Saybus and competing in the 5-year graduates category, had to present succinctly the keypoints of Saybus international development, in the most dynamic way, to the Board of CCEs representatives and chaired by the editorialist Jean-Marc VITTORI for Les Echos.
This final Jury of the CCEs Grand Prix for Internationalization awarded the « Gold Medal » to Saybus, rewarding « the audacity with which the company has managed to swing part of its business to attract international travellers» and « the innovativeness that enabled us to reach our goals ».
What’s next ?
CCEs provide sustainable support to the rewarded young talents and companies through a sponsorship program. Their ground knowledge is a valuable asset for companies in need of operational support.
An “individual mentorship” mechanism puts the professional applicant in contact with a lead CCE in the region, who will then steer him or her towards the appropriate point persons. Next, these lead consultants will share their expertise, settle a problem, contact institutional and private actors in the region, etc. CCEs have the benefit of macroeconomic and especially microeconomic insights into markets; they are then able to determine the feasibility of a project for internationalization
For the 2020 edition, Saybus and its spokesperson, Alissia Begag are sponsored by the Committee of Qatar.