

29 May – 1 June this year will see the jubilee edition of one of the world’s most respected global private wealth gatherings – the CC (Climate Change) Investment Forum. Timed back to back with Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix it will be held at Paris’ iconic InterContinental le Grand. CC Forum will connect HNWs, family offices, investment funds, VCs, and angels for a four-day event in the heart of Paris for brainstorming sessions as well as a high-level VIP networking program. In the run-up to the event, Chic Icon interviewed its Chairman and Founder Max Studennikoff.
Mr Studennikoff, first of all, allow me to congratulate you on behalf of Chic Icon on the upcoming milestone edition of CC Forum. Why Paris for the Jubilee event?
Thank you so much. Well, we have pulled off nine global editions so far – three in London, two in Monaco, two in Dubai, one in Malta, and one in Bahrain, but never once in Paris. There are two main reasons behind the choice of the locale for our jubilee edition. One is taking into account the spearhead role France has been playing in the global green transition and it has been our natural desire to boost its place as a global green finance hub. The other one is personal – my very own family has been domiciled in France for many years, so logistically it is a tad easier than elsewhere.


CC stands for Climate Change. How was the CC investment Forum conceived?
Indeed, I have been a sought-after speaker at many international conferences dedicated to climate change. I took part in many, but every time there was a missing part this way or another. In some of them, concerns were raised correctly, people were talking about the ruinous consequences of human industrial activities on the climate and how it is affecting the vulnerable, but no one was offering solutions. Others were more like vanity fairs where HNWs were flocking to showcase their wealth, but they hardly impacted investors. So, the concept of CC Forum is that of a conference in terms of its format, but it is essentially a club of impact investors, a community of like-minded people with capacity, with influence and influence, to put it euphemistically.


What are the objectives of the CC Forum, its goals and purposes?
The main objective of CC Forum has been getting together under one roof for regular brainstorming sessions with business leaders and the investors’ community and identifying solutions to some of the most pressing issues we are all facing today – rising temperatures, fighting poverty, preventing pandemics, etc. These are represented by family offices, investment funds, VCs, and angels focused on investment in sustainability. We also occasionally invite to join in senior government officials, members of royal families, celebrities, etc. The other important components of CC editions are projects and startups at various stages across a whole variety of domains including cleantech, waste management, emerging technologies, blockchain, AI, finance, fintech, healthcare, education, social impact, banking the unbanked, etc, as we firmly believe that it is through tackling all of these areas simultaneously that a difference can be made. Otherwise stated, CC Forum is like a melting pot where a plethora of groundbreaking startups has an opportunity to be heard and seen by global institutional and private impact investors.
The 10th edition will take place in Paris, the capital of the fashion industry and one of the capitals of luxury. Would any of these topics be part of CC Forum’s Paris agenda?
Absolutely. Much of CC Forum’s Paris agenda will revolve around how to make the fashion and textile industry, one of the biggest CO2 emitters, greener. We are also scheduled to hold a dedicated workshop on whether luxury can be sustainable. The black-tie Gala Dinner & Awards Giving Ceremony that will take place on Friday 31st May will incorporate a dedicated sustainable fashion show.


What are the highlights or distinctive features of the Paris edition?
CC Forum Paris is a four-day event that will incorporate both the business part including plenary sessions, workshops, round tables, investors’ meetings, presentations, etc, and high-level networking opportunities such as multiple VIP receptions and our signature event – the VIP Gala.
One of the highlights is that on the occasion of our 10th edition, we will be hosting complimentarily 100 carefully chosen projects as part of the Sustainability Startup City. We have received more than 300 applications so far and counting and will choose the worthiest. The participation will also allow the approved applicants to attend both the conference and exhibition as General Admission delegates.
Apart from that there are multiple pitching and exhibition opportunities available for companies and projects seeking visibility and funding. A popular format is our Business Speed Dating Session where startups will have the opportunity of pitching their ideas to pre-qualified investors.
As usual, a lot of attention will be given to gender equality, so much so that we will be hosting a dedicated satellite event titled Women Funding the World as part of CC Paris.
Lastly, a distinctive feature of the Paris edition is that each of the conference days (30th and 31st) will see several workshop tracks that will be running in parallel. These will include inter alia a VNTR VIP round table for investors and a Mastermind workshop by Circle. X and a series of COLLABOCRATIC workshops specially designed for impact entrepreneurs hosted by our partner Freedom eE, to name but a few.


What are the plans of CC for the near future?
We have a very busy road show throughout 2024 and 2025. This year will see a CC Forum iteration at COP29 in Baku, potentially preceded by another European edition. Next year two major editions are in the making: the Pan-African edition of the Climate Change Investment Forum in one of the major African countries (cannot divulge the name yet) and one in Brazil’ San Paolo back to back with COP30. Hence, the fashion show at CC Forum’s Paris Gala will be styled along the lines of Amazonia.
How is it possible to attend the CC Forum Paris?
Those wishing to attend can go to www.cc-forum.com. We are happy to provide Chic Icon’s followers with a limited amount of complimentary General Admission passes as well as a discounted VIP registration code for those wishing to upgrade their attendance status. Also noteworthy is that exceptionally on the occasion of our anniversary iteration we will have the capacity to host complementarily a selected number of investors including family offices, investment funds, VCs, and the like. However, a rigid procedure involving filling out a relevant application form by the candidates followed by due diligence on the part of our team is in place. All the options are featured on the website.


Exclusive Discount Codes for Chic Icon readers:
Free Entrance for STANDARD delegate: Register HERE, use code CCFGPGENADMCHICICON. Access to: Conference, Exhibition, Workshops.
20% Discount for VIP delegate: Register HERE, use code CCFPCHICICON20VIP. Access to: Conference, Exhibition, Workshops, Investors’ Meetings, VIP Networking Events, VIP Zone, Green Carpet Reception, Gala Dinner & Awards Giving Ceremony, Catering.
We are looking forward to hosting you!
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