Born in 1948, Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN graduated from the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP). He has been a senior lecturer at the Institut d’Études Politiques of Paris and today at ESCP Europe. He began his professional career in the industry and in communication fields. As a political man, he occupied high functions: President of the Region Poitou Charentes, Member of the European Parliament and Senator from 1995 to 2017.

He was also Chairman of the Senate’s foreign affairs, defence and armed forces commission from October 2014 to July 2017.

Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Craft from 1995 to 1997, he has been Prime Minister from 2002 to 2005.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin is particularly active on the international stage, he especially acted as the President of the Republic’s personal representative for Francophony from 2009 to 2012, and as special Envoy of the President of the Republic for the French-Algerian economic relations. He’s the French Special Representative for China since 2018. He is also Chairman of the France—China Committee, an advisor of the Boao Forum for Asia and the Chairman of both the Fondation pour la Prospective et l’Innovation and the Leaders for Peace organization.