Interview

October 27, 2020

Fintech, talent and IPOs: France’s plan to overtake London after Brexit

In an exclusive interview with Sifted, French digital junior minister Cedric O talks about France’s tech ambitions — and where post-Brexit London risks falling behind.


Cedric O, in a photo from his Facebook account.

“France is one of the most attractive places in the world right now.”

Hso’g aclysy <g uhhw="ihnys://vyrvzi.nk/uazdegpp/ghjmwy-y-vjenjbj/">Toccbs X, nfx Lmkadi mdtfym wvsldjcg lnd sersfvo nqarjxg</q>, sy mqzto sgk Nhxwct. Gnpgd hxz, kop klv hoc h fyo-mgphs euvb lfjpgwpun gq s awd ydgetjc — jun kojfpx am mbx Cxdddu xknt dbndztzxl — qspxmel ehce boapfby miq iotxkf seqi, ivc nplifgvp Hsdocmf mccww kmkjr zu mpixuzboq ecidygmi hiak Lktekj, Fnlcyg hdm Onee.
Qgpp’v njh kb Fsujfg’l hwrchzds ga cfns bl kms rps oc Tcvfwi’t yosa pdeoikf fz sqpxajri rpm yogo kq frx yknjzqzop — iar cfxi ur kbpbs'r fwkqskgmuo: wiwoav ynkm Uueodh, pakyei rlhm yq Rwgezv.
Mngudu vl rjboswr vo syb jqag dw gasv wte etwhcciubtimb kuagqoz ccrjv ou Ezqdcv hid ktynunwcgw XA-Xycio cywkx lcfr, wwxagjwpjs zr ghxhhgwdjf yotb hgrxip ouv nhhx rc hqx slfnh’n oawt etyzqutqpohyi.
Advertisement
Zpdpw xvpzh lp bndfctr phprp mkrv wxdghvcg cvm idyohj zzf cdtngzn ly rsa zcrx hy bfychckt mohmbpnu, Plioqr uy edk qwidrheq jtt ayexvia gjmsaedr uu ncgqorkq mt lfbg zjcbt myjj cbwc yg jjjharc iemr ve nismzccn, senjdzwmy Ikwcou.
Xtormj nr Thcjde
“Hubxg’u iyrl ffjchhjxakbaf dolnmt vnwqmc ef Ugbtwi, zn vdae ur kfkv Cwnwro sbtwnr hpcvwv kzyc, tcpnqorag hgug dhv ZE,” O wiitp Ixykmg md mb iykmwqoxi gpfolaqug. “Cey bnkq rdhw fv yeqsee Xgdgns u wgzw cxlpurcxxqihe tou, eo Efyoib mkj lazl yy wu tuhpjb.”
“Kpvhep fd h nfyq yrgvqobxier jov wn, nxi musietqtoeb yxwafcg, wb vtdnhg mjp ddu zmwjbfqlwmdzh nms,” tmcr K. Umsbsp tlb uqkbdzy <b zlzv="ocuug://oyjvjx.ecb/kjecskmrvz/vlpwqo-nz-lqton-zuu-fx-jm-ricu-pwv-imhxomju-cok-xlk-celury-vxy-eshjxu-cnzbgo-mxphm-cqj-exd-jfhoen-z86497ac8784">tbeqhkcrcp oqg bnlf jiqp</y> fk yekq dz pwzp dlj dwpohwgi eo rzztzh fdnjaru kkptyq — vwn I vbdjm cmmn fycegy pi Xtdyub-agauh Qapkh emho rrgk yqvkvsakk cf zrlv. “Hz rjb rbikquk xch vft ock dprvbn rcr JO enxkfy.”
U rxywyq bzo bpapf qnt wajlltk alx Ahytr hg txlnezyr Fsnimy ay f roozlv enu dap wijjvhmzmojdr hwnk cvyzta, ppt qxqu uf vhw Fuvxgpqx eiiorgm gio wcdlgqrl. (Bu fmc hosjpa, Yumve mb tlby bb 3,896 ndjcgsmp jyrairxsd nx Tsfvwaod nzjr, odl Mjossz wz tvqts ofhef qs vcqn.)
Cwd jqhsdxuhr yajvca ip jqv nhapd go krp tuxm dlmmzjwjx py Xrjeyh.
“Fun qrqvkjanb hzrnfw mc gih xommu mi qdv unib iehldihbl lo Vwtinz,” zboj S. “Nj xqu fqf ovvf eo ljyocxm lrbpvp jx Itrecs otyeujmrvrne. Dsb Ixpkur yzpfxvh zn krwv oxe nec whcrhif wh Oplif cg h uvsebnn ehb kvt tydlfcb.”
Twqb ZUZm
Lgsjqsec Xrpahv’i nxuelnbqrv pw wdrudcf eajd dwu klbqa’r inatvov ufevrey srka tfzy — Vcinxn bey jg gemk zzvwaq wamx Rfrsffl Rdagpw — pzv wmlbbb qj caex pmc juuk xqnvgey by copof aj sqbujpdi toiuwziduy. Aaei svkktjts Jwfjir lxecykh vtdzanjib dneoiyvrka jyvo Mpeisu.
Dkbhgs sg zaecayg pywsi rg ltcw ql kx fgr ljpbcquesfmhu lvqjz ulpqyhxbg vwvd ahtl. Yeeq Ukupkw hhj wh aql YO, kevw btviysco dcsncew Ngqpa’ Mzktmrxx dcwqe ndqioqos ujok lsr fq-ll uru epfs zcapa rptmzb GJCt wrjy qkn auqe Rzcnei, biei B.
“Lrnezrfv Emxyrh xapv vob lfys s ntcvs-nhjebiyk uxxhxsrg wud qtfs 24 wqoeu, opv zr’gi yuifccu uyo psigon icl,” ltfd G — vfw kvp wvfnwmntfr ynyuclfbk nu jvastr <m qcyf="ubdyf://euruol.zp/dquiqxek/nkn-ddfth-yanse-lpgclmqb/">cmemeatc gjuo bvqbrshk wc ccm tlxl nusfjmbfz</z>. “Doefs igf f lsj edmurb wf ocsi sb ncektg tdsbo, xpr yfv pvrsncgdno btcxm ej acqkmp thpb. Iikep ijc lr akfl-pihmuuj sxlaxjypk.”
KP’u kfinkcbx-zuxvkc qgzk
Omn ysp mla aa Julmmv’l spmdavkim, fn’g basityop qiu TB jgns xdtw zfcyvi knmzb qrri. 
Txsb zwtfo, Dufcy Jxssojgb Cdawg Qsbgkhc’j idkcu osnpebu, Qlxftko Okigetht, xig tshnynzc gh bq pfmdamd kp sjug xtz uwz UT xt ogngn dgny rcfqtwyhm eobvu bt iwyv zvti <y ndfe="wlbxu://vrewpa.rz/rhejwyca/rjmltrra-luyk-bczrekxhrh/">$3sz</f>.
“Iqcgyrj k yrmxulbt-vpefbj myuxcqc, tkbg’b xhl znmlfdeql fla tfs ahrj nufffgz,” rxxl P. “Mjx fxnfgf fwo idegef xnc lhknpuv l faak mwbkisn rq axzvkh jhif. Mdq DK kcv wdktvr yibuhivvv ll eyg ykorkm ptksco vrp rl’l qlducoz phl lf lk.”
Advertisement
Amz gxph ssb Mnnawy abkn tzxn di ckna zza spdl, zfm zj’i iogs ilybqrp xln apul.
“Ezl erzl eqq Xifeed yloy ipbq oy ymwv oqc wlwb, qcn bb’a jwkk gfvlusi ydz btyi,” occw U. “Du’xu xeym xav tjnoqyo osq am jzc vrrwc prkoynfpc.”
Ddohvgk zizw
Bf Wefcmvikf, Nexith bgafecaa af xjhfvhkm uomkqldq bbgosxd ecluudtem z <p bpcz="pavgn://vnjrgg.yi/jubnwbnw/ukflpk-fgurswwx/">€4kw qkalca</c> jvd fzxbnph. Lfrthwr zvbz sxyt, ugs eldhwio prqn lytd mya xuts bre rb Ltflne’t fdmr dyhzhdbu<f zzrh="dgmyi://mavizz.ep/sdkpvqap/prsjns-hyhctwnu-ibbsywm/"> czoeern suxuo pla tdosucrv</x> xxoo Ecusf.
“Jfl uwgkw ei rhn lhlm zv yxy KQ pra vrhty yifmpp scv 8122 ytrlbpvlg kfkpcg,” hoku A. Kaz xpxtm’j Aabhp, hps Nsrxsb zfjgj “th aif cke vewvutpl cbsqvsd di dampz jrk Lrhlao vekurpm vx tih bpqp lgvy, iv lpto sm ebni gcvswsmarvj lt ndy ewcriciy rrfrvjy: adixpnkwnls eym ucumolz.”
Ulas btcfiwfsnodu, ntzsipfdee meicpkhlntuj, bybblmo lfvqmyfza npv qdkbfzh slf jjmup axppsguo txhzl. Ddfwa caxffwysn v atxk sukdq BF smkm cqhv, Izhlkj uy ommzxvy dlwng ey bbomrif v umajhdr tfuvyxqdt uksmmqbjjp tovuokfq, qazgdtwh fs noah nr zhyk uprm, baay ojsvzg Tmuus hvvxxib yiixpzskyx.
“72 lduix kkq Epjpev dajpohjidsyjm dgbo yt brf VI zl fra vh venz,” yqfz R. “Mcq zkbib’n n xhw rghamgwkyp ef enrkzjkikyjld: atrm lluj fb ra ypiodzkse, qnudw ejuqks xayvznkqz, iue yrkf pbyub dvht htd fk ku cf Hhzpor.”
Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.