Pascal Catry, CCIFC President: : “Creating value for our members”

Four months ago, Pascal Catry took the helm of the French-Cambodian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFC), succeeding Cyril Girot in a relatively favourable economic climate: healthy finances, growing membership, renewed momentum.

Pascal Catry, CCIFC President

Yet beneath this smooth transition lies a packed agenda, dominated by an exceptional event — the France-Cambodia Business Forum, which will coincide with the Francophonie Summit and President Macron’s historic visit to Phnom Penh. A seasoned business leader and former vice-president of the Chamber, Catry is no stranger to the terrain; he knows its workings, its tensions and its ambitions. Four months on from his election, he reflects on his early priorities, the unexpected challenges of the presidency, and the vision driving him for the Franco-Cambodian business community.

TAKING OFFICE & TAKING STOCK

You took over the presidency in a particularly favourable environment — record growth, sound finances, rising membership. Does that make the first few weeks easier, or does it create additional pressure to live up to the momentum?

Indeed, I am taking over the CCIFC presidency in good shape, which is reassuring — we are working within a logic of continuity rather than disruption. Before my election, I was already vice-president of the CCIFC, so I feel I had a hand in building this solid foundation. The pressure comes more from the fact that we have a major appointment on the calendar this year: the France-Cambodia Business Forum, organised by the CCIFC and the CCEF with the support of the French Embassy and the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, timed to coincide with the Francophonie Summit and President Macron’s visit.

This is an extraordinary moment — for Cambodia, which will be in the global spotlight for nearly a month; for France, since no presidential visit had taken place since 1993; and for the Franco-Cambodian business community, which is eager for an economic recovery after a series of shocks: US tariffs, the border dispute with Thailand, the online scam scandal, and the US-Iran tensions. The first half of the year was broadly difficult for businesses; over the past few weeks, we have been sensing the first signs of a turning point, but we genuinely need a strong, positive signal in the second half of the year to accelerate the recovery.

Cyril Girot handed you a healthy chamber. Was there anything that still caught you off guard once you were in the seat — something you hadn’t anticipated from the outside?

What surprised me was less about the CCIFC presidency itself, and more about the other roles it entails: attending CCEF meetings, sitting on the EuroCham board, being called upon to join government working groups…

My diary filled up very quickly. And that’s before you factor in the people-management challenges, which sometimes take up more energy than the projects themselves. Just as in a company, the greatest asset in a chamber of commerce is its people — but people are also the hardest thing to manage: governance issues, conflicts of interest, the difficulty of rallying everyone and keeping them satisfied…

ACTION & PROJECTS

Over these first four months, what has been your main concrete priority — and have you been able to move it forward as you had hoped?

As I mentioned, organising the Business Forum has been the central project occupying me during these first months, with a core team meeting — the CCI president, the CCE president, the Embassy’s economic adviser and the CCIFC director — every two weeks, plus follow-up work between sessions to coordinate content, communications, venues, protocol and, above all, to align stakeholders who don’t always share the same vision. Alongside that, there is of course the ongoing management of the Chamber’s other events.

We have also worked to clarify the role of the board members, some of whom were new to the function. And it was important to me to get to know our members and their expectations better — which is why we launched a major member satisfaction survey, the results of which we will be sharing in the coming weeks.

The France-Cambodia Business Forum is the flagship event of the year. Where do things stand with the preparations, and what matters most to you about this event?

Things are coming along well: the website is live, we already have the first registrations, and the programme is nearly finalised. We are now moving into the communications phase — press conference, outreach to major business organisations: Business France, the Alliance of Francophone Employers’ Federations, the CCI France International network and especially its APAC region chapters, as well as the CCEF committees.

What matters most to me, I think, is ensuring the event carries real symbolic weight — with the presence of President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Hun Manet and all the key members of the Royal Government, along with the signing of significant contracts between French companies and the Cambodian government. And at the same time, that it acts as a catalyst: helping multiple projects reach completion and building bridges between French and Cambodian businesses through BtoB matchmaking sessions powered by an innovative platform that enables better pairing between companies with complementary profiles.

The CCIFC’s 60% representation within EuroCham gives it real political clout. How are you using that influence on concrete issues?

In practice, our majority position within EuroCham does not actually translate into much decision-making weight. Historically, EuroCham was created around access to European grants that allowed national chambers, including the CCIFC, to extend their influence with the Cambodian government through that channel. Over the years, the landscape has shifted: the subsidies dried up, and we don’t always feel adequately represented.

Despite having a majority of CCIFC members on the EuroCham board, we still need to learn to work together more effectively to defend our members’ interests — and to ensure that EuroCham also serves the national chambers that make it up, in the spirit of The Three Musketeers: “all for one, and one for all!”

CHALLENGES & GROUND REALITIES

Leading a chamber of commerce in Cambodia also means navigating a sometimes complex regulatory and institutional environment. What was your first genuinely difficult file?

As a business leader, I am used to operating in that kind of environment. And in the end, the toughest challenges are not always the ones you expect — they tend to be internal: governance, alignment with certain board members or membership constituents, knowing that you cannot please everyone. In our dealings with the government, we are fortunate to be listened to, often thanks to the support of the French Embassy, and to be able to raise issues directly with ministers or secretaries of state — something that would be hard to imagine in France.

For instance, we were consulted, along with other chambers of commerce, on a decree regarding company registration in Cambodia. The stated aim was simplification, but in practice it made things considerably more complicated than before. We put forward our position as private sector representatives, we were heard by the Minister of Commerce, H.E. Cham Nimul, and the text was subsequently revised.

The membership base is very diverse — large corporations, long-established entrepreneurs and newcomers alike. How do you respond to such different expectations?

First, by understanding those expectations — hence the satisfaction survey. Then by knowing how to adapt. Being able to make the right arguments in a meeting with a minister to advance a member’s project; shining a spotlight on a new member and giving them the opportunity to make themselves known to the Franco-Cambodian business community; sharing practical, sector-specific information; creating synergies by connecting members with one another or with identified potential partners — that is the Chamber’s calling, and it is what we do every day, thanks in large part to our director, Charles Julliard, who is the operational hub of that interface.

The bureau members and board members are equally essential relays to the membership, while also contributing to the Chamber’s broader strategy. The truth is, if you run for the CCIFC presidency hoping to gain personal advantages, you are better off not standing. What drives me is the passion for bringing projects to life, taking a team along with you, generating connections — and ultimately, creating value for our members.