A Strategic Gathering for Public Development Banks.

The Montreal Group, an international network of public development banks dedicated to SMEs, counts Bpifrance among its founding members, alongside Tamwilcom, which hosted and co-organized the event. Discussions focused on key issues: resilience in times of crisis, market diversification, and technological innovation. Two plenary sessions, collaborative workshops, and a visit to the Tanger Med Port—an African logistics hub connected to more than 180 ports in 70 countries—punctuated the two-day program.

Bpifrance Driving Dialogue and Innovation

Bpifrance played a central role at the Summit. Isabelle Bébéar, Director of International and European Affairs and Co-Chair of the Montreal Group, together with Abdulaziz Al-Zaid, Advisor to the CEO at Saudi Industrial Development Fund and Saïd JABBRANI, CEO at Tamwilcom opened the proceedings by emphasizing the importance of cooperation among public banks to support SMEs in a rapidly changing world. Another highlight: Gilles Le Cocguen, Director of EuroQuity, presented this digital platform that

fosters partnerships and access to financing. Launched in 2008 by Bpifrance and Wallonie Entreprendre, EuroQuity now connects over 20,000 companies and 2,700 investors, and is expanding internationally through collaborations with Tamwilcom and BDC.

Ambitious Outlook for 2026

The Summit also featured the presentation of Michael Mc ADOO, Partner and Director , Global Trade and Investment at Boston Consulting Group, which underscores the role of public banks as catalysts for sustainable growth by offering financing, support, and mentoring to young businesses and SME as market diversifications. TMG members made several commitments for the coming year: deepening work on innovation and AI adoption, creating a dedicated group on market diversification, and strengthening the exchange of best practices through webinars and joint projects.

An Ecosystem on the Move

By hosting the Summit in Africa for the first time, Tamwilcom and the Montreal Group reaffirmed their ambition to build bridges between continents to support SMEs. As Co-Chair, Bpifrance will continue to drive this momentum, focusing on internationalization and resilience for French and partner companies.

Learn more about the Montreal Group and its members: themontrealgroup.org