Over 300 global stakeholders convened in Paris to address foreign direct investment screening and economic security.

On June 25, 2025, over 300 senior officials, regulators, and industry leaders convened at MEDEF Headquarters in Paris for the third edition of the FDI Control Forum, examining the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in foreign investment control.

Co-founded by ESCP Professor David Chekroun and Marina Guérassimova, Chief Editor of Fusions & Acquisitions, the Forum has become Europe’s leading platform shaping the future of economic sovereignty and foreign investment governance. Operating under the Chatham House Rule, this year’s edition continued its mission to foster confidential, high-impact dialogue among public and private actors across borders.

David Chekroun, professor of international business law at ESCP Business School and co-founder of FDI Control

The FDI Control Forum 2025 brought together over 70 leading experts and regulators to examine the evolving landscape of foreign investment screening across France, Spain, Luxembourg, the EU, and the United States. Discussions focused on multi-jurisdictional challenges, strategic sectors such as Energy, AI, Healthcare, and Defense, the role of sovereign wealth funds and private equity, and the complex intersections between FDI control on the one hand, and restructuring, investment arbitration, and corporate governance on the other.

David ChekrounDavid Chekroun
Professor of international business law at ESCP Business School and co-founder of FDI Control

Cross-sector insights from global stakeholders

Participants from France, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, other European member States, the United Kingdom, the United States and North America, as well as countries from the Middle East & North Africa and Asia gathered to debate emerging global trends, including:

  • Security vs. Attractiveness: Reconciling national security with open markets
  • Impact of FDI Controls on Cross-Border M&A Transactions
  • Strategic Investment in Energy, AI & Tech, Healthcare & Data, Defense
  • New FDI-Control Ecosystem: Fostering dialogue between public and private stakeholders—corporates, sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, regulators, policymakers, lawyers, bankers, auditors, consultants, senior civil servants, MPs, public officials, and academics

Key highlights included

  • High-level speakers from the French Treasury, European Commission, German Ministry for Economic Affairs, Spanish Secretariat for Trade, Luxembourg Ministry of the Economy, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
  • Twelve workshops covering sensitive sectors, including energy, AI and tech, healthcare and data, private equity, sovereign wealth funds, and corporate governance.
  • Closed-door sessions under Chatham House Rule with GCs, regulators, and think tanks
  • The official launch of the FDI Control Association - ACIÉ- a new initiative to formalise ongoing cooperation and research in FDI screening and economic security.

By bringing regulators to the same table as corporates, sovereign wealth funds, private-equity firms, lawyers, advisors, and academics, the 2025 FDI Control Forum proved that genuine public-private dialogue on investment screening is not only possible but essential to shaping the future of foreign direct investment and cross border M&A.

Marina Guérassimova
Chief Editor of Fusions & Acquisitions Magazine and co-founder of FDI Control

Acknowledgements and partners

ESCP and the FDI Control Forum thank MEDEF for hosting this important event and extend their sincere gratitude to the sponsors, whose support went far beyond financial contributions. They embraced the vision, supported the research, and played an active role in shaping the agenda of this dynamic and evolving field.

Corporate sponsors: Brunswick Group · Clifford Chance · FGS Global · France Invest · Freshfields · FTI Consulting · Jeantet - avocats · Latham & Watkins · Linklaters · Simmons & Simmons · Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates · White & Case LLP

Academic and journal sponsors: Fusions & Acquisitions, Éditions Dealflow-Data · Queen Mary University of London (CCLS) · Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne· BIICL (British Institute of International and Comparative Law), RDAI / IBLJ - International Business Law Journal, Cercle Lefebvre Dalloz, Cercle K2, ARE, IPEM.

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