Intervention à la Chambre de Commerce Franco-Israélienne

23 sociétés israéliennes ont rencontré un vingtaine de sociétés françaises pour totaliser plus de 120 rendez-vous “one to one” (contre 100 l’an dernier), un vrai succès quand on sait qu’un quart des sociétés du CAC 40 étaient représentées et que nous avons organisé 20% de rendez-vous d’affaires de plus que l’an dernier.

Thème “La sécurité des biens, des personnes et de l’information”

Nous vivons dans un monde dangereux. Le 11 septembre ne constitue peut-être qu’un avant-goût, assez soft, de ce qui se profile à l’horizon. Sans totalement faire dans le catastrophisme, c’est bien ce qui ressort des diverses interventions de spécialistes de la cybercriminalité, des codes malveillants, des logiciels espions et de la sécurité qui sont intervenus, il y a quelques jours, lors des rencontres économiques et  technologiques franco-israéliennes.
Comme le disait Alain Bauer, criminologue à la Sorbonne, en résumé de son intervention : « Cherchez ce que votre cerveau vous empêche d’imaginer ». Or, le passé nous a déjà prouvé que l’homme se refuse souvent à imaginer le pire. Les scénarios-catastrophes décrits par Mauro Israël, expert en sécurité, font froid dans le dos. Il explique que, globalement le monde repose aujourd’hui sur vingt-six serveurs [DNS Domain Name Server 13 principaux et 13 secondaires nommés de "a" à "z"- note de MIS]. En 2003, cinq étaient tombés en panne [suite à une attaque par déni de service - note de MIS] . Rien n’exclut qu’ils ne tombent tous en panne. Si Internet s’arrête, les centrales électriques et leurs réseaux de transmission s’arrêtent, la désorganisation est totale, les secours ne fonctionnent plus. En cas d’attentat, il y a un phénomène d’amplification. Un attentat par un cheval de Troie peut prendre la forme « d’une attaque massive contre Internet qui provoquerait l’effondrement du système financier mondial, le vidage de tous les comptes bancaires, par exemple ». Scénario catastrophe à remiser dans le monde de la science-fiction ? Pour Mauro Israël « C’est une hypothèse à considérer dans la mesure où la ruine de l’Occident figure dans beaucoup de forums de discussions sur Internet ». Selon lui, il est nécessaire d’évaluer la menace et le risque pour ensuite décider des mesures à prendre.

Discours d’ouverture par Henri Cukierman, Président de la CCFI

Michel PEBEREAU, Président de BNP Paribas, était le speaker du déjeuner débat

The 7^th annual French-Israeli Business and Technology Forum on “TECHNOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL SECURITY” is taking place on Monday, November 19th.

Security is currently one of the most flourishing high tech sectors, above all in France and Israel in the fields of telecommunications, computers and aeronautics… This conference is a showcase on the main issues concerning security and an exciting opportunity to build stronger ties between leading French companies and Israeli innovative IT companies. It is attended by about 300 people each year. We are working in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, the Trade Department of the Israeli Embassy in France and the France-Israel Foundation.

Last year, the theme was Homeland Security. We organized more than 100 B to B meetings (up from 50 in 2005) between French and Israeli executives.

The goal of this event is to enhance economic and technological relations between France and Israel in a given domain. We bring together companies that buy and sell competitive products and services.

We are trying to attract more and more French SME’s so they follow the example of their Israeli counterparts, who, in spite of their small size, are convinced they have competitive knowledge and products to transfer. We also would like to invite more and more Israeli companies to meet the French at this yearly event, so they will understand that if the pre-organized meetings are successful and really lead to partnerships, it’s not only because the French IT companies are on top level in this domain, but they can also be great clients, avid to learn from their competitors or to buy from them.

This year, 23 Israeli companies will meet 20 big French groups (such as France Telecom, Cap Gemini, Alcatel…) at the 7^th annual France - Israel Business and Technology Forum. We note that we have already planned 20% more meetings more than last year and 25% of the CAC40 (40 Big French groups listed on the French Stock Exchange) will be present.

The I Safe Group (“Maagad”), linking 14 security-related Israeli start-ups, is attending for the first time.  With help from the Israel Industry Ministry, they are working on penetrating the international market.

Michel PÉBEREAU, CEO of BNP Paribas will be the lunch’s guest speaker.

ISRAELI COMPANIES ATTENDING : ALADDIN, APPLICURE, AVIV ADVANCED SOLUTIONS, BIOGUARD, CONTROLGUARD, FINJAN, HOMENET, INSIGHTIX, INTELLINX, ITCON, N-TRANCE, PARALLEL-COMMUNICATIONS, PINEAPP, POWER ID : RFID, PROMISEC, PURESIGHT, RADWARE, SDEMA GROUP, SENTRIGO, SKYBOX SECURITY, VISONIC TECHNOLOGIES, WHITECYBERKNIGHT, YOGGIE.

The morning will be devoted to conferences, the afternoon to B-B meetings. between French and Israeli companies.

Opening by Henri CUKIERMAN, President of CCFI and Hervé NOVELLI, French Secretary of State in charge of SMEs and Foreign Trade.

The round tables will gather the best French and Israeli experts in cybercrime and RFID solutions.

1^st round table: « Cybercrimeand the different tools to fight it », headed by: Pascal LOINTIER, Chairman of the CLUSIF and Asher POLANI, CEO of FINJAN with: Isabelle TISSERAND, General Coordinator of the European circle of security ; Mauro ISRAEL, Security Expert, CISO of CYBER NETWORKS ; Eyal ADAR, CEO of White Cyber Knight

> Moderator: Jérôme SAIZ, Journalist, les Nouvelles.Net

Analysis of the French-Israeli economical relations by Daniel ROUACH, Professor at ESCP-EAP Business School in Paris

2^nd round table: « New Infrastructures and Security : Wimax, RFID, VoIPs », headed by: Zohar ZISAPEL, President Founder of RAD and François DESCHAMPS, Executive VP of HUB TELECOM (Paris Airport subsidiary) with: Olivier BOUSQUET, CEO of AXYOME Michael WASSERTEIN, President & CEO of VISONIC TECHNOLOGIES ; Michel ARDITTI, President of Commission Smart Access at CESIC (Industrial and Commercial Security Study Circle) ; Lior RAPAPORT, VP of Sales, PowerID

> Moderator:Mauro ISRAEL, Security Expert, CISO of CYBER NETWORKS 

 

French lessons : Israel could be doing more business in France, a recent forum shows.

Nir Zamir has already had a follow-up meeting after the IT security forum in Paris and is speaking to two other corporate giants in France who were present there. The marketing VP at Yoggie Security Systems, maker of corporate and consumer gatekeeper PC products, says that their I-Pod sized products are barely used in France, compared with the UK and Germany. “The potential for both French groups and Israeli start-ups is tremendous,” he said. “It’s about time we moved into the French market.”

Michael Wasserstein, president of Visonic Technologies, a maker of radio frequency identification (RFID) products, said his forum meetings with leading French telecom players were important and exciting. “They literally told us they need RFID systems,” he said, “and we have those products to sell them.”

He spoke at a round table about the company’s RTLS, real time location system. “We went to hospitals here in Paris and officials there had never seen a product like ours,” he added. “We do not do even half a million dollars in business in France. You think there is room to grow?” He smiled wryly.

Organized by Dominique Bourra, head of NanoJV business consultants and developers, in conjunction with the France Israel Chamber of Commerce, the forum brought together 23 small and mid-sized Israeli start-ups with 20 French companies, including CAC-40 Paris Bourse leaders. Companies present included BNP Paribas, Alcatel, Hub Telecom, Accenture and Cap Gemini. BNP CEO Michel Pebereau was the lunch-time guest speaker.

“The French have the know-how in security, but the Israelis bring a complimentary angle,” Bourra said. “They excel at transfer from academic research to industry, and from military to civilian applications, with strong backing from private venture capitalists. And they have a strategic vision that is linked to being constantly on the front line of international cyber warfare.”

This year’s forum was bigger than last year’s. “We had one quarter of the CAC-40 companies, the leaders at the Bourse, here,” said Henri Cukierman , the president of the France Israel Chamber of Commerce. “We put together 120 pre-arranged face to face meetings, more than last year. We are creating momentum.”

“I saw contracts being finalized at the forum, but while the independent Israeli companies are quick to talk, the French groups, for business and cultural reasons, are much more discrete,” said Mauro Israel, an active consultant who has led major French groups on missions to Israel, but will not say which ones.

“Many French groups work with Arab countries, and are worried about pressure from them or even from their own associates about working with Israel,” he noted. “In some cases, the Arab countries themselves work with Israel, but do not want anyone to know about it. At the same time, the French know how good the Israelis are with security products, and they want them.”

France remains a distant third among European countries doing overall business with Israel, far behind Germany and the United Kingdom. French leaders in Israel include Veolia, L’Oréal, Alcatel, Danone, Alstom, BNP Paribas, Renault, and Accor. “Some people in France see Israel as a difficult competitor in the security field,” said forum organizer Bourra. “But I believe that

Bourra noted that there is a market-related issue as well. “Don’t forget that Paris is the headquarters for the Euronext stock market, linking Paris, Brussels, Lisbon and Amsterdam, where Israeli presence is minimal,” he said. “That could be essential for Israeli expansion.”

Yoggie’s Nir Zamir pointed out that in the 1950s and early 60s, France was a very close partner with Israel. “From my vantage point, with our 40 or so employees on Moshav Beit Halevy up here off highway 4,” he said with a smile, “Paris is once again looking closer and closer.”

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com – on December 3, 2007

Source: GLOBES - Copyrights - Brett Kline