Gov. Lee, Commissioner McWhorter Announce Strategic Economic Development Trip to France

NASHVILLE, TN - Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Stuart McWhorter will travel to France next week to attend the 55th International Paris Air Show.

The upcoming trip marks Gov. Lee’s second visit to France and fourth international recruitment trip since taking office in 2019, and will include a host of prospect meetings with leading companies to attract new jobs and investment to the Volunteer State. Additionally, the Governor will meet with company leadership from two French multinationals with operations in Tennessee to strengthen existing partnerships.

“Tennessee consistently ranks as a top state for business thanks to our strong economy, low taxes, and talented workforce, but companies consider more than these factors when choosing where to invest,” said Gov. Lee. “As states across the country compete for economic investment, we prioritize relationships – so that leading global brands know we’re committed to delivering greater opportunity for Tennesseans through successful, lasting partnerships.”

The state’s international recruitment efforts are spearheaded by TNECD through a team of five foreign direct investment representatives based in key countries across Europe and Asia. Their in-market presence plays a critical role in establishing trust and fostering relationships with global companies as these connections are most effectively developed through direct engagement within the local business and cultural landscape.

“With foreign direct investment accounting for more than 25% of our new jobs commitments each year, it is important that we continue to prioritize international recruitment,” said Commissioner McWhorter. “In the last two years, we have tracked commitments made in Tennessee as a direct result of meetings held during our international trips. I am proud to share that 1,200 new jobs have been created and nearly $270 million has been invested by companies we have visited abroad like Schneider Electric, Landmark Ceramics and Howmet Aerospace. We anticipate that these numbers will continue to grow following next week’s visit.”

Held every other year, the Paris Air Show is the world’s largest aerospace event that brings together nearly 2,500 companies representing more than 48 countries and nearly 300,000 total visitors for six-days of networking and business meetings. With most of the industry’s leading companies in attendance, the event has become a hub for deal-making with $150 billion worth of contracts signed during the show in 2023.

Tennessee’s aerospace and defense sector has emerged as one of the state’s strongest industries, with approximately 2,900 new jobs created and more than $575 million invested during Gov. Lee’s administration. Today, the Volunteer State is home to 160 aerospace and defense companies with well-known names like Howmet Aerospace, West Star Aviation and Bell Helicopter located across the state.

In addition to the Air Show, Gov. Lee and Commissioner McWhorter will meet with company leadership from Schneider Electric and Orano, two French multinationals with existing operations in Tennessee.

In September, Orano USA announced its plans to locate a multi-billion-dollar uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, marking the single largest investment in Tennessee history. Gov. Lee and Commissioner McWhorter will visit the company’s Paris headquarters, further strengthening this significant partnership.

“For more than 40 years, Orano has supplied U.S. reactors with enriched uranium from our Tricastin facility in the south of France. By visiting this commercial enrichment center, Tennessee leadership will see the same technology and processes planned for the Oak Ridge site,” said Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO of Orano USA. "From the beginning of our site selection process, key stakeholders across Tennessee demonstrated their support in shaping a sustainable ecosystem that has included efforts to develop a nuclear workforce pipeline and build upon the region's nuclear supply chain. Orano’s new American enrichment facility in Oak Ridge will generate both a positive economic impact for the State and a significant and secure fuel supply for U.S. reactors."

Today, there are over 70 French-based companies statewide that employ more than 12,000 Tennesseans, and since Gov. Lee took office in 2019, twelve French-based projects have created a total of 2,826 new jobs and generated nearly $4.9 billion in capital investment.

For more details about Tennessee’s international achievements and industry breakdowns, visit here.