Estelle Brachlianoff, Global CEO of Veolia Group, successfully concluded a strategic five-day visit to China from October 8th to 12th. This marked her second official trip to the country since assuming the CEO role in 2022. The intensive itinerary, spanning the key cities of Beijing and Shanghai, included high-level government and corporate meetings, media engagements, partnership signings, and site visit, underscoring the group's steadfast commitment to the Chinese market and charting a clear course for future collaborative ventures.
Government Dialogues: Aligning on Green Development Opportunities
- October 10th: The delegation met with Mr. Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment. Exchanges focused on core topics including synergistic carbon reduction and pollution control, climate change response, biodiversity protection, and China-EU green industry cooperation. Ms. Brachlianoff detailed Veolia's recent operational performance, future business priorities, and latest global environmental technologies. Minister Huang shared China's accomplishments since the 14th Five-Year Plan in areas like water, air, and soil management, and renewable energy development, recognizing Veolia's role in pollution control and climate action. Both sides committed to deepening existing cooperation and expanding into emerging fields like CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage), renewable energy, and new pollutant treatment, injecting new momentum into China-EU and China-France green collaboration.
- October 10th (Morning): In a meeting with Mr. Tang Wenghong, Vice Mayor of Beijing Municipal Government, Ms. Brachlianoff reviewed Veolia's collaborative achievements in the capital and its participation in the Beijing International Business Leaders Advisory Council. Vice Mayor Tang highly commended Veolia's contributions to Beijing's green, low-carbon development. Both parties agreed to leverage Beijing's status as a "National Science and Technology Innovation Center" to establish green development benchmarks with local innovators and actively participate in the construction of Beijing's zero-carbon industrial park.
- October 9th (Afternoon): The Veolia delegation met with Mr. Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Discussions centered on China's investment landscape and Veolia's development plans. Ms. Brachlianoff expressed "strong confidence in China's economic growth and green transition," affirming Veolia's intent to "continue investing and operating in China, assisting municipal and industrial clients in achieving green, low-carbon development." She also acknowledged the CCPIT's longstanding support in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of foreign enterprises.
Advisory Contribution: Advising on Shanghai's Sustainable Development
From October 11th to 12th, Ms. Brachlianoff participated in the 37th International Business Leaders' Advisory Council (IBLAC) for the Mayor of Shanghai in her capacity as a new member. She exchanged views with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining, Mayor Gong Zheng, and 40 top global executives from 17 countries.
During the session, she shared Veolia's global expertise in water, waste, and energy management, offering concrete recommendations on "green transformation of Shanghai's infrastructure, promotion of green energy, development of smart buildings, AI technological innovation, and advancement of the circular economy." She emphasized, "Shanghai hosts Veolia's China regional headquarters and one of our global water technology R&D bases, with operations extending across multiple Yangtze River Delta cities. We will continue to deepen our presence here, supporting Shanghai's ambition to become a global model for a smart, green, low-carbon, and circular city."
Media Engagement: Reaffirming China's Strategic Importance
On the morning of October 9th in Beijing, Ms. Brachlianoff held a press conference, engaging with leading media outlets including China Daily, CCTV French Channel, The Economic Observer, and National Business Daily etc.. She stated, "China is an important market within Veolia's global strategic framework. The Group will continue to deepen its roots here, implementing our GreenUp strategy through the deep integration of global solutions with local needs, thereby fully supporting China's 'Dual Carbon' goals."
Partnership Signing: Building a Green Fuel Ecosystem
On the morning of October 11th, Ms. Brachlianoff attended the signing ceremony of a Strategic Cooperation Agreement on Green Fuel Supply between Veolia China, SIPG Energy (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and VENEX Co., Ltd. The tripartite initiative aims to establish an end-to-end green fuel supply ecosystem, from production to bunkering. This collaboration aligns perfectly with the 'Local Energy Resource Development' and 'Providing Cutting-Edge Environmental Solutions' objectives of Veolia's GreenUp strategy, poised to accelerate decarbonization in the port and shipping sectors.
On the afternoon of October 10th, the delegation met with Mr. Wan Tao, Vice President of Sinopec Group. Based on the cooperation in Yanshan Sinopec project, both parties expressed their expectation to expand their regional and operational scope to encompass solid waste management, energy efficiency, resource recovery, and innovative zero/negative-carbon technologies, capitalizing on their respective technical and resource strengths.
Site visit: Commending Local Digital Innovation
October 11th, Ms. Brachlianoff conducted a site visit to the Jujiaqiao Water Plant in Shanghai's Pudong, gaining insights into the digital water technology applications developed by the Veolia China team. In subsequent discussions, she notably remarked, "The digital and AI practices of the China team are exemplary for our global operations – from online payment systems and robotic dogs for maintenance in confined plant spaces to the implementation of generative AI, all demonstrate 'Local Excellence.' Particularly promising is the imminent launch of the 'Talk To My Plant' system at this facility, which will further enhance operational efficiency."
Ms. Brachlianoff's visit was both a "goodwill-filled, in-depth exchange" and a demonstration of a "long-term commitment." By building government consensus, implementing cooperative projects, and inspecting cutting-edge technology, the Group is taking concrete steps to establish itself within China's green future. Moving forward, by leveraging multi-party collaboration with government, enterprises, and industrial parks, and harnessing the local innovation capabilities of its China team, Veolia will continue to advance steadily with Chinese partners toward a low-carbon, circular, and sustainable future.