Catherine Simon

Catherine Simon has been an active participant in the global robotics ecosystem for over two decades. She served as General Manager at Robopolis for four years and held the role of General Secretary at Syrobo, the French service robotics federation. 

She was also the founder and CEO of the INNOROBO event, a leading European robotics event from 2011 to 2018. With degrees from EMLYON Business School and INSEAD certification as a coach, Catherine has 30 years of executive management experience within or serving entrepreneurship. She is known for her genuine interest in disruptive innovations and its positive impact on society. Catherine was recognized as a French Tech Ambassadress by Challenges magazine in 2014, and she received the "Trophy of Women in Economy" in the New Technologies category for Rhône-Alpes in the same year. 

She co-authored a parliamentary report on Robotics in France in 2019 and collaborated on the book "Robots for Peace" with UNESCO-affiliated NGOs. Currently, as Advisor on Industrial Digital matters, she pilots national strategies for electronics, robotics, and 5G at the General Secretary for Investment (SGPI), a French Prime Minister service responsible for the FRANCE 2030 ambitious innovation investment program.