Recap of the World Trade Center’s Association Global Business Forum 2025

at World Trade Center Marseille Provence

From Sunday, April 6 to Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Following the 2024 edition held in Bangalore, India, the 2025 edition took place in Marseille : a first in France for the Global Business Forum (GBF), hosted by the World Trade Center Marseille Provence. Over 400 participants, including representatives from World Trade Centers around the world and business delegations, attended over these four days to embody the spirit of international collaboration within the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) network.

The World Trade Center Rennes Bretagne team, a club of the Ille-et-Vilaine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and its delegation took part from Sunday, April 6, in the welcome ceremony at Fort Ganteaume, in the presence of John E. Drew, WTCA Chairman, and Benoit VINCENT, CEO of WTC Marseille Provence.

DAY 1: Monday, April 7 marked the launch of conferences and workshops, introduced by an inspiring quote from John E. Drew:
“WTCA is committed to promoting free and fair trade, open markets, and healthy competition. We believe these principles foster an environment that attracts investment, drives prosperity, and fuels economic growth. Through our global network of independent World Trade Center businesses, we actively support these values by facilitating international business connections and trade opportunities worldwide.”

Highlights of this first day for the WTC Rennes Bretagne team included:

• Keynote conferences on major international topics, such as “Shifting Global Trade Dynamics: Strategies for Success in an Evolving Marketplace” and “Innovative and Impactful: Disrupting Industries and Driving Change”
• The WTCA General Assembly
• A workshop led by Isabelle Péan-Métaireau from Norzh Conseils, a member of WTC Rennes Bretagne, on “Keys to International Growth: The Power of Preparation and Organization”

DAY 2: Tuesday, April 8 was the final day dedicated to B2B meetings, conferences, and workshops, including the Real Estate Summit, which offered deep insights into trends, innovations, and collaboration opportunities in the international real estate sector.

The World Trade Center Rennes Bretagne team and its business delegation were joined by Vincent BOBOT, CEO of the Ille-et-Vilaine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Key moments included:

• High-level conferences on major international themes such as “Navigating Trade and Investment Trends in 2025”
• Targeted B2B meetings to foster international synergies
• A workshop led by Nicolas BERNARD-MASSON, representative of the State of Pennsylvania and member of WTC Rennes Bretagne, titled “Investing in Pennsylvania: Seizing Opportunities at the 2026 WTCA Global Business Forum”
• The presence of Pascal Roignau, WTC Rennes Bretagne member and founder of Drone Soccer France, who animated the day and captivated forum visitors with demonstrations
• A workshop led by Nicholas Beaty, Manager of WTC Rennes Bretagne, on the new strategic collaboration between FERRANDI Paris – Rennes Campus and WTC Rennes Bretagne
• In the evening, a convivial networking event between Francophone World Trade Centers and their business delegations, as part of the WTCA Francophone Initiative to strengthen ties and exchanges among French-speaking countries

DAY 3 : Wednesday, April 9 marked the final day of the WTCA Global Business Forum, featuring a rich program of meetings and company visits.

The World Trade Center Rennes Bretagne team, part of the Ille-et-Vilaine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and its business delegation had the opportunity to explore Marseille and visit several local companies and organizations.

Among the three offered tours, we had the privilege to visit ITER Organization, an international megaproject for research and engineering on nuclear fusion, with thousands of engineers and scientists contributing since its global collaborative initiative began in 1985. ITER members include China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United States.

We also discovered Château la Coste, a unique wine estate combining wine, art, and architecture, nestled in Provence.

The day concluded with a closing evening at the Palais de la Bourse, bringing together all the attending World Trade Centers and their business delegations. A highlight: the passing of the torch by John E. Drew from WTC Marseille Provence to WTC Greater Philadelphia, which will host the next GBF edition in 2026.

A huge thank you to the organizers of this 55th edition of the Global Business Forum – Benoit VINCENT, Yaël Savignac Rauzada, Victor Moraru, and their entire team at WTC Marseille Provence, as well as the World Trade Centers Association for this successful event. A milestone occasion, both as an essential annual meeting and a wonderful showcase of France’s attractiveness.