About this Event
France in the Indo-Pacific: Strategic Perspectives and Regional Cooperation
The discussion will examine France’s role in the Indo-Pacific amid an evolving strategic and security landscape. Valérie Brisset, Consul General of France in San Francisco, and Brigadier General Emmanuel Boiteau, head of the French liaison team to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, will explore French and European perspectives on the region, cooperation with the United States, maritime security, and defense and resilience. The conversation will also consider France’s engagement with Pacific Island nations and opportunities for broader regional collaboration.
About the Speakers
Valérie Brisset, Consul general of France in San Francisco. Valérie Brisset has begun her tour of duty as the Consul General of France in San Francisco since March 2, 2026.A career diplomat since 2011, she has held several positions within the French diplomatic network. She notably served at the French Embassy in Greece as First Counselor, before joining the French Embassy in China as Deputy Head of Mission and Head of the Political Chancellery.
From 2022 to February 2026, Valérie Brisset was Deputy Director for Cultural, Educational, Academic, and Scientific Diplomacy at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. In this role, she helped oversee the work of cooperation and cultural action services worldwide, as well as the network of French Institutes, including Villa Albertine, contributing to France’s international influence in the cultural, academic, and scientific fields.
A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and a former student of the École nationale d’administration (Robert Badinter class), she also pursued studies in the United Kingdom, notably at the London School of Economics and the University of Warwick.
Before joining the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, she held positions at the Louvre Museum and taught on European affairs. Valérie Brisset is married and the mother of four children.
Brigadier General Emmanuel Boiteau, born near Paris on June 9th, 1972, is married with three children. He graduated from the French Air Force Academy in 1992 and earned his fighter pilot wings in 1996. After flight training, he served as an air defence pilot flying the Mirage 2000C, and participated in missions in Kosovo and Iraq. He later took command of several fighter squadrons, including in Djibouti, and played a key role in the Rafale F2 program.
Promoted to Colonel in 2013, Boiteau held various senior positions, including heading the “Training, Doctrine and Lessons Learned” department at the Air Force HQ, and commanding air bases in Jordan and the UAE. In 2019, he became deputy director for “Defense Strategy” with DGRIS. From 2021 to 2023, he was head of the Air & Space Force Vice-Chief of Staff task force. On June 1st, 2023, he was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed Director of the Centre for Air & Space Strategic Studies (CESA).
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