Meridian’s U.S.-France Leadership Dialogue Dives into International Healthcare

On Friday, April 12, 2013, in Paris, Meridian International Center joined partners from the Nashville Health Care Council and Meridian Corporate Council member, Healthways, in a session of the U.S.-France Leadership Dialogue. The private program was delivered to a high-level delegation of 30 member executives of the Nashville Health Care Council, led by former U.S. Senator and Majority Leader Bill Frist. The session provided valuable context for both understanding and pursuing future opportunities between the United States and France, following the delegation’s deep dive into the French healthcare system during their week-long trade mission.

Meridian President & CEO, Ambassador Stuart Holliday, provided remarks on the day’s opening panel, “The U.S.-France Bilateral Relationship and Cooperation in the Political, Diplomatic, and Corporate Realms.” He was joined by U.S.-France Leadership Dialogue partners at L'Association France-Amériques: Ambassador Jacques Andréani, whose distinguished career includes six years as French Ambassador to the U.S.; Ambassador Alfred Siefer-Gaillardin, a career diplomat with high-level posts such as DCM at the French Embassy in Washington and Ambassador to Canada for France; and Michel Gigou, a leading multinational businessman who has held such roles as President & CEO of Volvo Trucks North America and Chairman of Mack Trucks, Inc. Together, the group examined opportunities for bilateral cooperation and engagement in the healthcare arena and beyond. The panel also took questions from the assembled delegation, which benefitted from the discussion on business opportunities, future job creation, and best policy practices in U.S.-France relations.

The panel was followed with a presentation by representatives from The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and a luncheon keynote address from CNN Paris Bureau Chief, Jim Bittermann. Following the session, which served as closing briefing on the delegation’s program in Paris, participants held a more comprehensive view of the French healthcare system and the U.S-France relationship as a whole. By exploring these issues and establishing critical relationships with government and business leaders, the event fulfills Meridian’s vision for the U.S.-France Leadership Dialogue: to bring together public and private-sector leaders from the U.S. and France to identify key areas of collaboration on current economic and social challenges, and lay the groundwork for the development of concrete initiatives to address such challenges.

Meridian conducts the U.S.-France Leadership Dialogue – made possible by a grant from the Richard Lounsbery Foundation – in partnership with L’Association France-Amériques and the French-American Cultural Foundation, under the auspices of the French Embassy.