Sheppard Mullin's French Insider – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of French Insider, Anne-Emmanuelle de Boysson, Executive Director of the French-American Chamber of Commerce California and Polina Bogdanovitch, Managing Director of the French-American Chamber of Commerce New York, join host Melissa Hughes to discuss the trends, challenges, and opportunities for French companies looking to expand into the U.S. market.

What We Discussed in This Episode:

• What are the objectives and recent developments pertaining to both East and West Coast French-American Chambers of Commerce (FACC)?

• How do industry focuses differ between the East and West Coasts?

• What considerations and growing opportunities should French companies looking to expand into the U.S. focus their attention on?

• What practical tips or advice can help French companies successfully market themselves and thrive after entering the U.S. market?

• Given the diversity of the United States, how crucial are tailored, region-specific business strategies?

• Which U.S. visas are most relevant for French businesses seeking to expand, and how do they differ?

• What challenges do local employment laws and immigration requirements pose, and how can businesses mitigate these obstacles?

• What advantages do local networks and regional resources offer when establishing connections in the U.S. market?

• What networking events are available through and provided by the FACC?

About Anne-Emmanuelle de Boysson

Based in San Francisco, Anne-Emmanuelle de Boysson is the Executive Director of the French-American Chamber of Commerce California, a non-profit, non-governmental, member-driven organization seeking to improve the commercial and industrial relationships between France and California.

As Executive Director, Anne-Emmanuelle oversees the FACC California’s dynamic business platform of over 200 companies and network of 5,000 plus contacts. Originally from Paris, she is a dynamic, seasoned professional with over 15 years of expertise spanning marketing and procurement.

Before joining the FACC, Anne-Emmanuelle held the role of Director of Indirect Procurement at the Estée Lauder Companies, where she spearheaded the EMEA procurement strategy for store design and construction. Prior to that, she served as the European Marketing Manager at Dyson, overseeing the launch of multiple products and driving regional marketing initiatives.

About Polina Bogdanovitch

Possessing a rich background in business development across New York and London, Polina Bogdanovitch is the Managing Director of the French-American Chamber of Commerce New York, where she fosters connections that empower French entrepreneurs to grow and prosper in the U.S and is a primary contributor to the FACC-NY’s Committees’ composition and programs.

Before stepping into her current role, Polina served as the Associate Director of Development at FACC-NY, where she led efforts in member recruitment and engagement. During her tenure, which spanned the challenges of the COVID era, Polina collaborated closely with members to enhance their U.S. commercial growth by identifying synergies within the network and fostering meaningful connections.

Prior to her time at FACC-NY, Polina held business development roles, working with technology and startup clients. Born and raised in France, she has spent over a decade living and working in the United States.

About Melissa Hughes

Based in the firm’s San Francisco office, Melissa Hughes is a senior associate in Sheppard Mullin’s Labor and Employment Practice Group, where she defends and counsels employers in a range of employment disputes.

As a litigator, Melissa represents businesses of all sizes, from pre-litigation through post-trial motion practice before state and federal courts, as well as representing employers in connection with administrative proceedings. 

Additionally, Melissa serves as a trusted advisor to employers, helping to manage a broad range of employer issues such as disability accommodation, workplace investigations, California wage and hour laws, and employee leaves of absence.

Melissa is a member of the Sheppard Mullin French Desk, where she is a trusted advisor to several French groups and companies operating in or seeking to expand to the U.S. with respect to employment and personnel matters.

Contact Info:

Anne-Emmanuelle de Boysson

Polina Bogdanovitch

Melissa Hughes

Resources:

FACC California

FACC New York

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In this episode of French Insider, Sheppard Mullin partners Jonathan Meyer, Liisa Thomas and Carolyn Metnick join host and French Desk Co-Chair, Valérie Demont, to explore the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and privacy under a new Trump administration.

What We Discussed in This Episode:

• What is CISA and what is its role in cybersecurity?

• What can we expect from the Trump administration regarding cybersecurity?

• Could we see less regulation but greater enforcement?

• Might there be more stringent regulation with respect to cyber attacks and private ransomware?

• Where does the United States currently stand in terms of privacy law?

• What is the current status of state and federal privacy laws in relation to the healthcare industry?

• In terms of privacy, where could enforcement be headed under the incoming administration?

• How do the various state attorneys general and federal agencies coordinate on enforcement?

• What enforcement trends should businesses be aware of, and what do they need to focus on?

• What specific enforcement trends are we seeing in the healthcare space?

• Generally speaking, what types of penalties could result from enforcement actions? 

• Could a company’s officers and directors face personal liability, either criminal or civil?

• How might class action litigation originate from a cybersecurity or privacy incident?

• What should businesses prioritize in terms of cybersecurity and privacy compliance?

About Jonathan Meyer

As a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Governmental Practice Group and leader of the firm’s National Security team, Jonathan E. Meyer counsels clients on their interactions with federal and state government, as well as national and homeland security, Congressional oversight, cybersecurity, AI, high tech, and transportation security, among other issues.

Prior to returning to Sheppard Mullin, Jon served as the Sixth General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2021 to 2024. His decades of experience in Congress, the Justice Department and DHS position him to bring an insider’s perspective to interactions between private companies and the government. He has defended scores of Congressional investigations and has prepared witnesses for over 100 hearings, including Supreme Court nomination hearings, impeachment hearings, oversight hearings, high tech and antitrust investigations, and civil rights investigations, among others. He has also represented defendants and witnesses in high-stakes Justice Department criminal investigations.

The media – including CBS News, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Politico – regularly turn to Jon for insight into issues regarding national security, homeland security, government investigations, cybersecurity, immigration, politics and Congress. He has twice been honored with the Secretary of Homeland Security’s Outstanding Service Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by DHS, among numerous other prestigious accolades recognizing his exceptional service.

About Liisa Thomas

Liisa M. Thomas, a partner in Sheppard Mullin's Chicago and London offices, serves as the Leader of the firm's Privacy and Cybersecurity Team and as the Office Managing Partner for Chicago. As a member of the Intellectual Property Practice, she focuses on privacy, advertising, and unfair competition law. 

Liisa frequently coordinates global privacy, data security and digital advertising matters for her clients. They value her global insights and familiarity with business systems outside the U.S. With Liisa’s assistance, her clients – including major consumer brands, advertising agencies and consumer research companies – are able to navigate thorny data breach disclosure issues, use emerging interactive advertising techniques and create compliant security programs, all while effectively managing their legal risks. Clients praise Liisa’s ability to add real value to their businesses, and describe her as "keeping [clients] one step ahead of where [they] need to be."

Liisa is the author of two treatises: Thomas on Data Breach: A Practical Guide to Handling Worldwide Data Breach Notification, which has been described as "a no-nonsense roadmap for in-house and external practitioners alike;" and Thomas on Big Data, praised for being a "comprehensive and detailed analysis of the complex and rapidly changing world of privacy law." Recognized as an industry leader in privacy, data security and advertising law, she has been honored by Best Lawyers in America, Leading Lawyers Network, Chambers, Super Lawyers, and The Legal 500, for her "broad depth of privacy knowledge." 

About Carolyn Metnick

Carolyn V. Metnick is a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Corporate Practice Group in the firm's Chicago office and a member of the Healthcare and Privacy & Cybersecurity Teams. She represents a range of healthcare industry clients, including hospitals and health systems, physician organizations and digital health companies.

Carolyn’s practice focuses on healthcare regulatory and transactional matters, with an emphasis on health information privacy and security. In addition to providing guidance on various privacy and security laws, including HIPAA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), she also counsels businesses in data breach investigations and compliance with federal and state breach notification laws. Carolyn also advises healthcare clients on issues related to AI, including governance, contractual matters, and data related issues. Additionally, she represents healthcare industry clients in transactional matters, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions. Her background as a former litigator helps inform her transactional work.

Carolyn is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) and a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E). She is also the founder and leader of Sheppard Mullin Healthy AI, an initiative focused on legal issues related to the use of AI in healthcare. 

About Valérie Demont

Based in the firm’s New York office, Valérie Demont is a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Corporate Practice Group, where she focuses primarily on U.S. and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters. As a leader of the firm’s French Desk team, she advises foreign companies on the establishment and growth of their operations in the United States, acting as de facto "outside general counsel" for non-U.S. companies in the United States. 

Valérie has been involved in numerous mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and dispositions for corporations and private equity funds in the U.S., Europe (including France) and Asia (including India).

Not only is she a frequent speaker at events focused on cross-border trade, but she is also an outside pro bono counsel to Girls Who Invest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in portfolio management and executive leadership in the asset management industry.

Contact Info:

Jonathan E. Meyer

Liisa M. Thomas

Carolyn V. Metnick 

Valérie Demont

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

On this episode of French Insider, Erik Sloan, Chief Revenue Officer of Cboe Canada and the Global Head of Company Listings for Cboe Global Markets, joins host Andrew Bond to explore how Cboe operates a global network of securities and derivatives exchanges that help companies efficiently navigate global capital markets, including the factors that set the Cboe exchanges apart from other exchanges and the types of companies well-suited to list their securities on one or more of the exchanges in the Cboe network. 

What We Discussed In This Episode:

• What led you to Cboe Global Markets?

• What markets is Cboe in? Where might the exchange expand?

• What differentiates Cboe from country-based exchanges like Nasdaq or the NYSE?

• What value would Cboe bring to a French company considering public listings in both Europe and the United States?

• What types of companies do you feel are a good fit for the Cboe marketplace?

• How does the Cboe help companies navigate regulatory hurdles in various jurisdictions?

• After a French company is listed on Cboe in the United States, what is the procedure for expanding its listing to another foreign market?

• What would you consider Cboe’s greatest successes so far?

• What have been Cboe’s biggest challenges?

• What is your best advice for either a private company seeking to go public on Cboe exchange or a publicly traded company considering a move from another exchange?

About Erik Sloane

Erik Sloane has been with Cboe Canada since its inception and helped define and implement its foundational stock exchange and fund distribution platforms. He’s since held several senior roles, including Head of Funds & Trading and Head of Product Management. As Chief Revenue Officer, he is currently responsible for driving growth by working closely with capital-raising companies, asset managers, sell-side firms, buy-side firms and other industry stakeholders.

Erik launched his career at a global business and technology consultancy firm. Prior to joining Cboe Canada, he led project management at the Alpha Exchange, where he previously oversaw delivery of its core technology platform. He’s also chaired several industry advisory groups instrumental in shaping Cboe Canada's strategy and currently serves on the Operations Committee of the Canadian ETF Association (CETFA). 

About Andrew Bond

A partner in the Corporate Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin’s Century City office, Andrew Bond has a broad-based securities practice. In addition to assisting clients with cross-border mergers and acquisitions and capital market transactions, he counsels Canadian clients on listing requirements for the NYSE, NASDAQ, and platforms operated by the OTC Markets Group. Andrew previously practiced in Canada, where he advised both U.S. and Canadian issuers on registered securities offerings, private placements, and Securities Exchange Act compliance.

Contact Information

Erik Sloane 

Andrew Bond

Additional Resources

Cboe Canada

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

This episode is a replay of Episode 23 which originally aired on June 30, 2023. It was recorded in French.

In this episode of the French Insider, Didier Choix, Founder and Managing Partner, and Jean-Damien Perrier, Partner of the DDA & Company group, a Franco-American investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions in France and the United States, join Valérie Demont, Partner at Sheppard Mullin, to discuss M&A transactions between France and the United States, including how to choose the right target, the differences between French and American deals, and how to best prepare to conquer the American market.

What We Discussed in this Episode

• How can one best prepare to acquire a company in the United States?

• Screening

• Definition of objectives

• Proficiency in English

• How to find a United States target? 

• What are the challenges faced?

• Is networking working?

• The approach of the American leader 

• What are the major differences between a deal in the United States and a deal in France?

• Limited access to information

• Valuation

• Funding

• Working Capital v. lock box

• Vendor due diligence

• GAAP accounting v. IFRS

• Lack of audit of financial statements

• Salaries of officers and employees in the United States

• What are the common mistakes of French companies in their first acquisitions in the United States?

• “Bridging the gap”: how can French companies put together a competitive offer compared to American buyers (auction process, etc.)?

• Timeline of an acquisition

• Main advice for an entrepreneur looking to acquire a target in the United States

Contact Information

Inès Briand 

Karl Buhler 

Didier Choix - Founder and President - DDA & Company, LLC | LinkedIn

Jean-Damien Perrier - New York, New York, United States | Professional Profile | LinkedIn

Valérie Demont | Sheppard Mullin

DDA & Company, spécialiste conseil en corporate finance (ddacompany.com)

France Attorneys | Sheppard Mullin

Additional Resources

French Insider Episode 23: M&A in the US: How French Businesses Can Find a Target & Seal the Deal | Sheppard Mullin

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In this episode of French Insider, Victoire Lester, CEO of Coucou, joins host Sarah Ben-Moussa to discuss the experience of building a company in the United States from the ground up, including Coucou’s approach to hiring and training native-speaking French language instructors, its strategy for attracting American customers, and their experience recruiting and managing a mixed-nationality workforce.

What We Discussed in this Episode

• Can you tell us a bit about your background?

• How did you become involved with Coucou?

• What was behind the founding of Coucou? Where did the idea come from?

• How does Coucou go about hiring and training instructors?

• How does Coucou’s approach to hiring impact the learning experience?

• What was it like coming to the U.S. and building a company from the ground up?

• What motivated Coucou to expand its offerings?

• What was Coucou’s experience during COVID? Where did the company come out on the other side?

• Can you tell us a bit about the streaming platform being developed by a Coucou founder?

• What was Coucou’s strategy for attracting U.S. customers?

• Can you speak to the experience of recruiting and managing a mixed-nationality workforce of French and American people?

• What were some resources Coucou utilized during the last 10 years of growth?

• Would you recommend companies retain a public relations agency?

• What’s one piece of advice you’d offer a French entrepreneur seeking to launch a company in the U.S.?

About Victoire Lester

Victoire Lester is CEO of Coucou, a New York City and Los Angeles-based language school offering culturally savvy, native-taught French classes, in person or online. A Paris native, she joined Coucous as a part-time French instructor in 2016 and was promoted to director of operations just three years later. As CEO, Victoire handles marketing, product development, and operations. She was also responsible for Coucou’s successful transition to an online program in 2020, which has been instrumental in the company’s growth.

When she’s not helping Coucou grow, Victoire enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, and indulging in her love of wine, cheese, and oysters.

About Sarah F. Ben-Moussa

Sarah F. Ben-Moussa is an associate in the Corporate Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin’s New York office, where her practice focuses on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, financings and corporate governance matters. As a member of the firm’s French Desk, she has advised companies and private equity funds in both the United States and Europe on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, financings, complex commercial agreements, and general corporate matters.

As a member of Sheppard Mullin’s Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team, Sarah also represents renewable energy companies, borrowers, financial sponsors, portfolio companies, commercial banks and other financial institutions in a variety of financing transactions. Her practice focuses on a variety of transactions in the energy sphere, representing renewable energy companies in project-level debt and equity financings of wind and solar facilities. 

Before joining Sheppard Mullin, Sarah spent a year and a half studying and working in France,  focusing on corporate transactions and commercial contracts in Europe and internationally. Sarah is also committed to pro bono work, focusing on cases involving children seeking asylum or other immigration-related relief.

Contact Information 

Victoire Lester

Sarah F. Ben-Moussa 

Additional Resources

Coucou

Coucou on TikTok

Coucou on Instagram

Coucou on Facebook

Coucou on YouTube

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

This episode is a replay of Episode 11 which originally aired on March 2, 2022.  It was recorded in French.

What are the best strategies for setting up a business in the United States? Valère Horath, vice president of global sales and co-founder of Quipment SAS, has direct experience with this question. In this episode, he discusses his personal experience with the decision of developing in the US, the strategy for coming to the US, and the challenges of starting and growing a business in the US. He also explains some of the differences between running a business in France and the United States, including the importance of contracts in relationships with customers.

What We Discussed in This Episode:

• About Valère Horath and Quipment;

• The decision to set up in the United States;

• The strategy for starting a business in the United States;

• The main differences between American and non-American clients;

• How to be successful in the U.S. market.

About Valère Horath

 Valère Horath is the vice president of global sales and co-founder of Quipment SAS. Quipment is a company specializing in the provision of medical and laboratory equipment. The equipment and supplies provided by Quipment make it possible to measure the effectiveness and side effects of drugs before they are put on the market. Quipment's customers are mainly pharmaceutical companies, Biotechs and CROs that must carry out very rigorous clinical trials in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of drugs. For this, they need to equip doctors with calibrated equipment, the reliability of which is indisputable. In addition, these studies are international: Quipment therefore has equipment in all continents and in >60,000 hospitals globally. It has warehouses in France, USA and Japan. To date, the company is in the 100-500 employee range.

Contact Information:

Valère Horath

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In this episode of French Insider, Jim Gatto, a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Washington D.C. office and co-chair of its AI team, joins host Sarah Ben-Moussa to discuss what companies should know as they embrace generative AI, including key legal issues, the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, and unique due diligence concerns when acquiring or investing in companies that develop or use generative AI.

What We Discussed in This Episode:

• What is generative AI, and why has it become so newsworthy?

• What are the key legal issues raised by AI?

• Who is liable if the output produced by generative AI infringes?

• Can you provide a broad overview of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act? 

• How does the EU compare to the current landscape in the U.S.?

• Is it legal for companies to use your output to train their own AI models?

• What unique issues should be considered when conducting diligence for acquisitions or investments in companies using or developing generative AI?

• What are some of the most important things companies should do to minimize the risk when using AI?

About James G. Gatto

James G. Gatto is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin’s Washington, D.C. office, where he also serves as Co-Leader of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Team and Leader of the Open Source Team.

Jim’s practice focuses on AI, blockchain, interactive entertainment and open source. He provides strategic advice on all aspects of intellectual property strategy and enforcement, technology transactions, licenses and tech-related regulatory issues, especially ones driven by new business models and/or disruptive technologies. 

Jim has over 20 years of experience advising clients on AI issues and is an adjunct professor who teaches a course on Artificial Intelligence Legal Issues. He is considered a thought leader on legal issues associated with emerging technologies and business models, most recently blockchain, AI, open source and interactive entertainment. 

About Sarah F. Ben-Moussa

Sarah F. Ben-Moussa is an associate in the Corporate Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin’s New York office, where her practice focuses on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, financings and corporate governance matters. As a member of the firm’s French Desk, she has advised companies and private equity funds in both the United States and Europe on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, financings, complex commercial agreements, and general corporate matters.

 As a member of Sheppard Mullin’s Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team, Sarah also represents renewable energy companies, borrowers, financial sponsors, portfolio companies, commercial banks and other financial institutions in a variety of financing transactions. Her practice focuses on a variety of transactions in the energy sphere, representing renewable energy companies in project-level debt and equity financings of wind and solar facilities. 

Before joining Sheppard Mullin, Sarah spent a year and a half studying and working in France,  focusing on corporate transactions and commercial contracts in Europe and internationally. Sarah is also committed to pro bono work, focusing on cases involving children seeking asylum or other immigration-related relief.

Contact Information:

James G. Gatto

Sarah F. Ben-Moussa

Additional Resources:

Copyright Office Artificial Intelligence Initiative and Resource Guide | Law of The Ledger

Training AI Models - Just Because It’s Your Data Doesn’t Mean You Can Use It | Law of The Ledger

Solving Open Source Problems with AI Code Generators – Legal Issues and Solutions | Law of The Ledger

Congress Proposes National Commission to Create AI Guardrails | Law of The Ledger

Sheppard Mullin French Desk Blog

Sheppard Mullin Launches Artificial Intelligence Industry Team | Sheppard Mullin

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In this episode of French Insider, Caroline Faucher-Winter, Co-President at La French Tech NYC, joins host Valérie Demont to discuss the French Tech 2030 program, challenges that French start-ups looking to secure funding and establish themselves in the United States may face, and how these start-ups can navigate and prepare for the U.S. market.

What We Discussed in This Episode:

• How would you describe the French Tech 2030 program?

• What are the DO’s and DONT’s to keep in mind for a French entrepreneur looking to set up in the United States?

• What are common mistakes French start-ups make in their first steps in the United States? How can they best prepare for this endeavor?

• What does the financing environment for French tech companies look like in the United States?

• What are the most effective ways to raise funds in the United States?

• What can French tech companies do to better position themselves to raise funds in the United States? How many succeed?

• Is it better to raise funds in Europe and then launch in the United States?

• What do you think of the role and impact of social media on start-up marketing and PR in the United States?

• What is the main advice you would give to a start-up looking to expand in the United States?

About Caroline Faucher-Winter

Caroline Faucher-Winter is a Senior Strategic Public Relations Advisor at Kalamari and has been involved in the French Tech New York ecosystem since 2018. Since then, she has actively participated in the development of French Tech, and was named co-president in 2022. Caroline thrives on contact with others and is committed to diversity and inclusion, in particular through the French Tech NY program aimed at helping French entrepreneurs to settle in the U.S.

Caroline has built her career around start-ups and innovation, first covertly and later openly, acting as a relay and link between business owners, VC funds, and government agencies. She is also the director of the Galion Project, a think tank for creative business people.

Through the course of her career, Caroline has established connections across ecosystems, guided many transatlantic participants (FrenchTech, BusinessFrance, FrenchFounders, The Galion Project, etc.), and helped connect, decode, and promote the production of synergies and value.

About Valérie Demont

In the firm’'s New York office, Valérie Demont is a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Corporate Practice Group, where she focuses primarily on U.S. and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and securities offerings and corporate governance matters. As a leader of the firm’s French Desk team, she advises foreign companies on the establishment and growth of their operations in the United States, acting as de facto "outside general counsel" for non-U.S. companies in the United States.  

Valérie has been involved in numerous mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and dispositions for corporations and private equity funds in the U.S., Europe and Asia (including India). She also represents U.S. and non-U.S. issuers and underwriters in a wide range of primary and secondary capital markets and securities offering financing transactions involving equity, debt, convertible and hybrid securities. These transactions include IPOs, private placements and offshore securities offerings and the establishment of American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programs.

Furthermore, Valérie regularly advises companies on their reporting obligations under U.S. securities laws as well as corporate governance and other compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and stock exchange regulations.

Not only is she a frequent speaker at events focused on cross-border trade, but she is also an outside pro bono counsel to Girls Who Invest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in portfolio management and executive leadership in the asset management industry.

Contact Information: 

Caroline Faucher-Winter 

Valérie Demont 

Additional Resources:

Sheppard Mullin French Desk Blog

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In this episode of the French Insider, Didier Choix, Founder and Managing Partner, and Jean-Damien Perrier, Partner of the DDA & Company group, a Franco-American investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions in France and the United States, join Valérie Demont, Partner at Sheppard Mullin, to discuss M&A transactions between France and the United States, including how to choose the right target, the differences between French and American deals, and how to best prepare to conquer the American market.

What We Discussed in This Episode:

• How can one best prepare to acquire a company in the United States?

• Screening

• Definition of objectives

• Proficiency in English

• How to find a United States target? 

• What are the challenges faced?

• Is networking working?

• The approach of the American leader 

• What are the major differences between a deal in the United States and a deal in France?

• Limited access to information

• Valuation

• Funding

• Working Capital v. lock box

• Vendor due diligence

• GAAP accounting v. IFRS

• Lack of audit of financial statements

• Salaries of officers and employees in the United States

• What are the common mistakes of French companies in their first acquisitions in the United States?

• “Bridging the gap”: how can French companies put together a competitive offer compared to American buyers (auction process, etc.)?

• Timeline of an acquisition

• Main advice for an entrepreneur looking to acquire a target in the United States

Contact Information:

Didier Choix - Founder and President - DDA & Company, LLC | LinkedIn

Jean-Damien Perrier - New York, New York, United States | Professional Profile | LinkedIn

Valérie Demont | Sheppard Mullin

DDA & Company, spécialiste conseil en corporate finance (ddacompany.com)

France Attorneys | Sheppard Mullin

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

This episode is a replay of Episode 14 which originally aired on June 9, 2022.

For this episode of French Insider, Jean Hoefliger, noted wine consultant, entrepreneur, and founder of JH Wine Consultants, joins us to discuss French investments in the U.S. wine industry, including the many factors drawing French winemakers to the Napa Valley and how the rise of venture-backed startups has altered the winemaking landscape.

About Jean Hoefliger

Born and raised in Switzerland, Jean has decades of winemaking experience and has worked in vineyards worldwide, including California, Bordeaux, Texas, and South Africa. As a wine consultant, he has helped build client wineries across the globe, including Montevereo in Tuscany and Grapeheart in Suisun Valley, as well as AXR and The Debate in Napa Valley, to name a few. His many accolades include two 100-point scores awarded by Jebb Dunnuck and Robert Parker for his Napa-based The Debate Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jean's consulting business encompasses everything he loves, from managing farming and crafting world-class wines to advising on business strategies and even building and implementing the sales structure for clients.

What We Discussed in This Episode:

• What is drawing investors to the Napa Valley?
• Why are French winemakers coming to the Napa Valley?
• Who are some of the big players that already have a presence in the Napa Valley?
• As a winemaker, what's different about doing business in the Napa Valley vs. France?
• Are other U.S. winemaking regions becoming more significant in the market?
• How is the growing number of wineries impacting the overall market?
• Has the rise of venture-backed startups in the industry shifted the dynamic for producers?
• What should French companies keep in mind as they seek to enter the U.S. wine market?
• How are winemakers dealing with climate change? 
• Despite the challenges of the last two years, including COVID and wildfires, wineries have continued to grow. Why is that?
• What are some of the long-term impacts of climate change on wineries in France and across Europe? How can new technology help mitigate these impacts?
• How does the diverse range of U.S. wine-producing regions act as an additional draw for French investors?

Contact Information

Jean Hoefliger

JH Wine Consulting

Sheppard Mullin French Desk 

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This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.