Young Leaders – Franco-British Council

Young Leaders meeting President Macron at the Élysée Palace

The Franco-British Young Leaders Programme was launched in 2017 by The Prince and Princess of Wales (then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge).

The programme was first announced at the 2016 Franco-British Summit by former President, François Hollande, and former Prime Minister, David Cameron.

The Franco-British Young Leaders Programme aims to deepen understanding and collaboration between France and the UK and create lasting bilateral dialogue at the highest level. Its objective is to build a generation of 21st century leaders who will keep the Franco-British relations at heart and shape its future across all sectors of our societies and economies.

It is delivered by the Franco-British Council with the support of the French Foreign Ministry and the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as well as a number of private sponsors.

Franco-British Young Leaders

Our Young Leaders network now includes 176 personalities who come from distinguished careers across a diversity of sectors ranging from politicians, journalists, scientists, the military and academics to business entrepeneurs, a chef, a pianist, an art critic and an explorer.

Twenty new Young Leaders were selected in 2024.

Young Leaders are required to accept the Franco-British Young Leaders Charter as part of membership on the programme.

Applications for the Young Leaders programme 2024 are now closed.

Please check the website regularly for updates regarding the applications for the 2025 programme. If you would like to receive updates by email please contact us HERE

Our Sponsors

2024

**Andrea Bachrata**
CEA / Head of laboratory / Nuclear Future Award winner 2021/ WiNEXI expert group leader/ L’Oreal-Unesco pour le femmes et la science award 2011

**Paul Barbottin**
French Navy, submariner

**Cllr Florian Chevoppe-Verdier**
Public Policy Officer, Yoti / Councillor, Lead Member for Digital Innovation & European Co-Operation, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

**Emmanuel Constantin**
Southwark IWMF plant manager, Veolia

**Thomas Ernoult**
Chef du bureau en charge du contrôle des investissements etrangers en France, Direction generale du Tresor

**Dr Charlotte Faucher**
Lecturer in Modern History, University of Bristol

**Victoire Gineste**
Vice-President, Christie’s

**Maxime Guillaud**
Founder & CEO, INSKIP

**Adrien Hallou**
Group Leader in Tissue Biology, Kennedy Institute, University of Oxford

**Olivia Halsall**
Founder & CEO, Olea Education

**Francesca Hill**
Deputy Director for Security and Counter-Disinformation Policy, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

**Dr Xavier Jaravel**
Associate Professor of Economics, London School of Economics

**Lucas Lacombe**
Chef du Bureau de la Securite et du Transmanche Sous-prefecture de Calais

**Maddii Lown**
Senior News Editor, Events, Sky News

**Ania Nussbaum**
Elysee correspondent, Bloomberg

**Sally Onn**
Senior Legal Counsel at ATR (Avions de Transport Regional), an Airbus joint venture

**Fanta Ouka Diawara**
CFO UK Region, Chanel

**Claire Paccalin**
Senior Reporter, FRANCE 24

2023

**David Amiel**
Député, Assemblée nationale

**Melissa Amroun**
Parliamentary Assistant, National Assembly

**Salma Arif**
Cabinet Member for Public Health and Active Lifestyles at Leeds City Council

**Mo Atif**
General Surgery Registrar, University Hospitals Birmingham

**Florian Bercault**
Mayor of Laval and President of the Laval Agglomeration

**Eva Bernard**
Principal Advisor, Gender and Climate Action, EBRD

Dr **Joanne Brueton**
Chair of French and Senior Lecturer in French Studies at the University of London Institute in Paris

**Laura Carter**
Lecturer in British History, Université Paris Cité

**Jack Connolly**
Visiting Fellow, Oxford University

**Stuart Gill**
Space systems specialist, Leanspace

**Elsa Guippe**
Co-founder COMPASS LABEL

**Maxence Jeunesse**
Scientifc Director for Artifical Intelligence, Covea

**Eloise Bella Kohn**
Classical concert pianist

**Suzanne McLaughlin**
Royal Air Force, Cyberspace Professional

**Clément Orczyk**
Associate Professor of Urology, University College London

**Alex Piper**
Senior Manager, Commercial Strategy, Liverpool FC

**Thibault Ricci**
Commander of the School of Fighter Aviation, Air and Space Army

**François Sicard**
Assistant Professor, University College London / Co-Founder & CEO, SAFANET

**François Simon**
Professor in paediatric otolaryngology – head and neck surgery at Université Paris Cité and consultant at Necker-Enfants Malades hospital (APHP)

**Rai Sow**
Executive Director, Make Every Woman Count

**Sarah White**
Correspondent, Financial Times

2022

**Fabien Aufrechter**
Directeur d’Havas Sovereign Technologies et Maire de Verneuil-sur-Seine

**Helene Ba**
Director, Albacore Capital

**Emmanuel Bouscasse**
Head of Communications, Rugby World Cup France 2023

**Julia Cantel**
Fem’Energia Europe 2020 ‐ Chef de projet, EDF

**Eleni Courea**
Deputy Editor, POLITICO London Playbook

**Agathe Demarais**
Global forecasting director, The Economist Intelligence Unit

**Arthur Denouveaux**
Directeur de Covéa Affinity et Directeur Etudes et Innovation de MMA, Covea

**Dr Benjamin Guedj**
Researcher at Inria (France) and Associate Professor at University College London (UK)

**Adam Jackson**
Deputy Director, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK Government

**Marion Laboure**
Senior Economist (Director) at Deutsche Bank & Lecturer in Economics at Harvard University

**William Magnaldo**
VP, Technology Investment Banking, Morgan Stanley

**Dr Paul Morillon**
Anaesthetist, St Thomas’ Hospital, London

**Florence Ostende**
Curator, Barbican, London

**Laurent Potel**
Co-Founder & CEO, Reezocar

**Dr Clare Siviter-Groschwald**
Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol

**Lt Commander Luke Thompson**
Royal Navy

**Philip Yorke**
Modern Foreign Languages Curriculum Leader, Shaftesbury Park Primary School

2021

No Young Leaders were chosen in 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic

2020

**Alexandre Adam**
Europe Advisor to the President of the French Republic

**Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade**
Député à l’Assemblée nationale

**Tristan Aureau**
Conseiller du Président du Conseil européen

**Jacqueline Broadhead**
Director, Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity at University of Oxford

**Dia Chakravarty**
Brexit Editor, The Telegraph

**Imogen Choinet Bankier**
Directrice, The Whisky Shop, France

**Squadron Leader David Cobb**
Royal Air Force

**Grégory Cuilleron**
Chef in two restaurants in Lyon, Cinq Mains & comptoir Cecil. Speaker on disability and performance.

**Marjorie Hache**
Broadcaster and music curator

**Dr Ghida Ibrahim**
Technical Lead, Infrastructure Analytics at Facebook

**Alicia Kearns MP**
Member of Parliament

**Camille Landais**
Professor of Economics, London School of Economics & Political Science

**Ella Lister**
Founder & CEO, Wine Lister; Directrice Déléguée, Figaro Vin

**Dr Layla McCay**
Director of International Relations, NHS Confederation

**Lt Col Florian Morilhat**
Pilote d’hélicoptère, Armée de l’air

**Rhys Phillips**
Electromagnetism Scientist at Airbus

**Alexandra Prigent-Labéis**
Managing Partner, Accellency & Professor at HEC Paris

**Duncan Robinson**
Brussels Bureau Chief / Charlemagne columnist at The Economist

**Michel Rose**
Elysee Correspondent, Reuters

**Cleo Watson**
Special Adviser, 10 Downing Street

**Alexander Zeldin**
Playwright. Associate, National Theatre London

2019

**Ahmed Abdel-Hakam**
Senior Associate, International Arbitration and Public International Law, Eversheds Sutherland

**Clémence Bernard**
Lecturer in Neuroscience, University of Exeter

**Andrew Bowie MP**
Member of Parliament

**Charles Consigny**
Lawyer at the Paris Bar

**Guillaume Coube**
Cabinet du chef d’état-major de la Marine, French Navy

**Charles Ebikeme**
Policy Fellow, London School of Economics

**Alice Ekman**
Senior Analyst in charge of China and Asia, European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and Associate Professor, Sciences Po

**Clo’e Floirat**
Art critic, author and cartoonist

**Antoine Forterre**
Co-CEO, Man AHL and Member of the Executive Committee, Man Group

**Sylvestre Frezal**
Director, Covea and President, Appenin

**Olivia Grégoire**
Députée à l’Assemblée Nationale

**Edouard Guigou**
Managing Director, Eurazeo

**Daniel Hamilton**
Managing Director, FTI Consulting

**Inès Leonarduzzi**
Chief Executive Officer, Digital for the Planet

**Nathanael Mason-Schuler**
Advisor for Financial Services and Investment, Private Office of the French Prime Minister

**Alison McGovern MP**
Member of Parliament

**Eugenie de Naurois**
Head of Corporate Affairs, City of London Corporation

**James Parker**
Commanding Officer RAF Scampton, Royal Air Force

**Sebastian Payne**
Whitehall correspondent and columnist, Financial Times

**Jessica Pennetier**
Head of International Communications, Choose Paris Region

**Nabila Ramdani**
Freelance journalist, columnist and broadcaster

**Victoria Rowlands**
Executive at Hakluyt & Company

**Luke Selby**
Head Chef, HIDE Above Restaurant

**Tanguy Séné**
Basel Policy Lead, Bank of England

**Tom Shinner**
Chief Operating Officer, Entrepreneur First

**Lt Col Ludovic Sommerlat**
Cavalry Officer, French Army

**Sophie Spencer-Small**
British Army Officer

**Constance Vidot**
Investment Professional, Vitruvian Partners

**Sarah Whitley**
Associate and Soliciter, Gide Loyrette Nouel

**Levison Wood**
Broadcaster, author and photographer

**Georgina Wright**
Head of Europe Programme, Institut Montaigne

2018

**Jean-Jacques Barberis**
Membre du Comité Exécutif, Amundi

**Aurore Bergé**
Députée à l’Assemblée Nationale

**Christophe de Cacqueray**
Directeur, Covea Innovation Lab

**Agathe Cagé**
Présidente, Compass Label

**Olivier Cotinat**
Co-Fondateur, SchoolLab et MoHo

**Célimène Daudet**
Pianiste Internationale

**Johanna French**
British Army Exchange Officer

**Alexandre Holroyd**
Député a l’Assemblée Nationale

**Richard Hughes**
Acting Chief Economic Advisor HM Treasury

**Thibault Lavernhe**
Officier de marine, Capitaine de frégate, Commandant la frégate Surcouf

**Baptiste Maurand**
Directeur Général Adjoint, Grand Port Maritime du Havre

**George Merrylees**
Partner, Irwin Mitchell llp

**Isabelle Millat**
Responsable de la division Sustainable Investment Solutions – Global Markets, Société Générale

**Henry Newman**
Senior Brexit Adviser, Cabinet Office

**Julie de la Sablière**
Présidente, Little Wing

**Robert Simmons**
Royal Marines Commanding Officer

**Tilly Spencer**
Head of Gas Operations, EDF Energy

**Wes Streeting MP**
Member of Parliament

**Beth Thompson**
Head of UK and EU Policy, Wellcome Trust

**Aida Todri-Sanial**
Chercheuse au CNRS, rattachée au Laboratoires LIRMM

**Céline Vallot**
Responsable d’équipe, Institut Curie

2017