User:Brt33/sandbox/Gilles Rémy

Gilles Rémy, born in Audincourt (Doubs department) on July 2, 1959, is a French businessman. He is a board member and chairman of several companies, mainly involved in international trade1. Contents

Gilles Rémy began his career as a parliamentary assistant to Dominique Frelaut, Deputy and Mayor of Colombes, France, but “went international” in 1985, becoming Deputy Director of the tour operator “France-URSS”, the market leader with more than 40,000 travelers. In this position he traveled throughout the former USSR, became familiar with the land and culture, and established a number of contacts that were to become useful in his future activity, mainly centered on the former Soviet territory. Based in Moscow starting in 1992 with the company CIFAL, he expanded the firm’s core business in the oil and nuclear sectors. At the same time, he developed the company throughout Central Asia, setting up representation offices and subsidiaries (Kazakhstan in 1991, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan in 1993, Kirghizstan in 1995, and Uzbekistan in 2000). By the end of the 90’s, CIFAL, in which he had become the majority shareholder, was the only Western service firm established across the entire Central Asian/Caspian region2. With his expertise in the economic realities of these countries, he was called on to accompany several French heads of state (Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy, François Hollande) and ministers (Alain Juppé, Christian Pierret, François Fillon, Anne-Marie Idrac, Laurent Fabius) on their trips to Russia and Central Asia. Gilles Rémy has participated in numerous seminars, forums, and radio and TV programs on international policy, particularly on topics relating to Russia and Central Asia.

•	1985-1989: Deputy Director of the tour operator France-URSS •	1989-1992: Soviet Zone Director at Tibi company •	1992-1995: Russia Zone Director at CIFAL Group •	since 1995: Chairman and CEO of CIFAL Group

Gilles Rémy is also: •	French foreign trade adviser in charge of the Central Asian/Caucasus region (since 1994) •	Chairman of the French-Turkmen Chamber of Commerce •	Founder and Chairman of Rusafrika, which in 2015 became the first business platform dedicated to the development of Russian companies in Africa. He also founded OSCI, the French federation of international trade agencies, acting as Chairman from 2006 to 20133. Interests Gilles Rémy is a lover of Russian history and art, of Roger Vailland and Gogol, and a collector of Russian icons. He runs marathons (London, Paris, New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, and Saint Petersburg4) and enjoys hunting and downhill skiing.

Order of Friendship awarded by Vladimir