Florian Cardinaux, the new Consul General of France in San Francisco, has hardly had time to catch his breath since arriving in the Bay less than two weeks ago, accompanied by his wife and their young son. Just a week after taking office, the 39-year-old diplomat, who has already had numerous meetings within the community, welcomed us to his office located at 44 Montgomery Street. During this interview, he spoke to us about his career, shared his first impressions of San Francisco, and revealed his plans for the next four years in the constituency.
Florian Cardinaux was previously an advisor to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, responsible for Asia, the Pacific, and consular affairs (2022-2024). He also served as head of operations at the Crisis and Support Center (2020-2022), where he managed many international crises. This is his third foreign posting after Doha, where he was the Deputy Head of the French Embassy in Qatar (2018-2020), and Delhi, where he was a political advisor at the French Embassy in India, in charge of the Franco-Indian strategic partnership (2015-2018).
Very happy and motivated by his new mission in San Francisco, Florian Cardinaux sees his role in the constituency as that of a connector and orchestrator, working with the French community to promote France’s interests and strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Meet the new representative of France in the Northwest region of the United States.
You have just arrived in San Francisco; what are your first impressions of the city?
I am very charmed by San Francisco. It’s a magnificent city in terms of heritage and architecture, and its cosmopolitanism is truly extraordinary, with a mix of Latin-American, Asian, and Western worlds. Even though it’s not a huge megalopolis, the city’s rich cultural diversity makes it a “small global city”, and it’s no coincidence that it is sister city with Paris.
I’m pleasantly surprised by San Francisco’s climate and find the criticisms about it quite unjustified; even the fog has its charm.
The problems of poverty, homelessness, and drugs are real, but these issues exist in all major cities, including in France, and San Francisco doesn’t seem to be in a “doom loop” as is sometimes written. It’s a vibrant and dynamic city, both economically and culturally.
So I find that the city is not always given the credit it deserves.
San Francisco has clearly not yet regained the full dynamism it had before the pandemic, but you can really feel its quest for a new identity and the ongoing revitalization efforts, especially downtown. I am convinced that France has a role to play in smart urban planning and in supporting the city through this transition. We excel in this area, in the effective collaboration between the public and private sectors.
How do you plan to familiarize yourself with the region?
My entry point into the constituency are the French people, because they are the people I serve, and because engaging with them is the best way for me to understand and learn about the various American ecosystems. My goal in the first few months is therefore to meet as many compatriots as possible wherever things are happening with them, to quickly, through our community, reach the American public.
By “through” I mean together: the Consulate will work more than ever with the region’s French associations such as La French Tech, the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Business France, and French Founders, and with all willing French people to do things as a team. And this won’t be done from a distance, but by going to meet people, our nationals in every sector, and by hosting them at the French Residence in San Francisco, which is made for that purpose.
By the end of the year, I have planned a tour of the different states, starting with California with San Francisco, Berkeley, followed by Palo Alto, then Nevada, and finally Seattle in October. Meanwhile, I will continue making rounds of the Bay Area. Since 70% of the French population is here, I consider it logical to dedicate about 70% of my time to this region. I also plan to visit Salt Lake City, Portland, and other states.
I am giving myself a year to visit all the states in the constituency, including the Pacific, which I intend to make a priority, relying on my prior experience in the region.
What initiatives do you plan to put in place to better understand and meet the specific needs of the French people living in this region?
To begin with, I stress the importance of registering with the French register abroad. Nationals who are not registered are unknown to the Consulate, which is a shame because this simple gesture can make all the difference in times of crisis. As the former head of operations at the Crisis and Support Center, I have seen the importance of knowing the exact number of French citizens present in order to size our response and avoid difficulties related to underestimating the number of French nationals present.
The registration process is quick, and it can be done online. This registration makes all the difference in an emergency. Even though the United States has efficient crisis response structures, French nationals need to connect with their families and possibly return to France. To help them, it is crucial that they register. I am counting on you and all the local French organizations to remind people of the importance of this registration.
I also want to highlight the improvements made to consular services, with the online appointment process being much easier, and the issuance of identity and travel documents being faster than before. Renewing documents for French citizens is really a priority, especially in the context of the introduction of the electronic National Identity Card (CNIE), which will allow many procedures to be carried out online.
The consulate is a team that serves French nationals, with both the challenge of issuing identity and travel documents, but also the challenge of providing social assistance with scholarships, the support to the associative network, occasional aid for low-income French citizens, and the management of emergencies for French people in difficulty. It’s not visible, it’s not publicized, but it’s happening all the time.
Not to mention, of course, the organization of elections.
Beyond services for the French nationals, what are your other major priorities, whether political, economic, or cultural?
Making the AI revolution a success
My first priority is to not miss the AI revolution, which is a major transformation and potentially more important than the Internet boom. If France wants to stay in the top tier of developed economies, it must succeed in this AI shift, which requires connecting to the Bay. San Francisco, as a tech hub, is a strategic place for this ambition. We are on the map; we have gems and great success stories that are known here, like Mistral. The Americans recognize our competence, agility, and quality economic fabric in this AI sector.
Connecting tech ecosystems
More broadly, my role will be to connect the tech ecosystems between France and the Bay Area, to ensure that the ecosystems work together as closely as possible, and to multiply the bridges between what we do here in the Bay, thanks to our French nationals and others, and what is done in France.
I will make sure in the coming months that the important milestone of the AI Action Summit, which will be held in France in February and aims to promote AI in an ethical and beneficial way for people, is well known here, and that as many key players in the sector as possible participate. The goal is to ensure that, collectively, the potential of AI is truly harnessed for the benefit of our populations and our planet. The objective is not to regulate for the sake of regulation, but to channel AI’s potential to make the most of it.
Promoting made-in-France products
Another priority is promoting French goods and services for export. San Francisco is a welcoming land for French products, and despite the competition, we remain competitive with distinctive products in sectors such as food, wine, aerospace, and renewable energy.
Attracting American investors
I would also like to emphasize the importance of attracting American investors to create jobs in France. French expatriates can play a crucial role in facilitating these investments, even without fully returning to France. I plan to structure initiatives to encourage these connections.
Promoting the French culture, language & education
The French culture, language, and art de vivre are essential in promoting and enhancing France’s influence in the world. I see my role as that of a connector of worlds that don’t spontaneously work together to create beneficial projects for France and the French people. In this area, for example, I supported the initiative of a school canteen project in French schools in San Francisco. We will also strengthen the teaching of French and the dissemination of French culture in American schools.
I will be involved in supporting the “French for All” program, which aims to promote the French language and French education in the United States, including in American schools through bilingual curricula, in addition to what is already being done in accredited and labeled schools. Teaching French relies indeed on various tools, from approved French schools to the France Education label, as well as supporting bilingual structures and community networks like FLAM. The goal is to offer a range of options suited to the needs and desires of French citizens, but also to the American public and all other nationalities present in the United States who are interested in the French language and culture, for the openness they represent and the excellence they embody.
How do you plan to adapt the Consulate’s actions to environmental challenges, especially those specific to California, and how do these issues influence your diplomatic priorities?
As far as the environment and climate action are concerned, the Consulate has already been heavily involved in addressing environmental challenges in recent years, and I plan to continue along this path, highlighting French excellence in the fields of decarbonized energy and clean transportation. We need to promote French companies already working in these sectors in the United States.
Beyond the economic aspect, I want to engage in discussions with California and other states about environmental policies and share French expertise in climate and ecological transition. Climate has become a major diplomatic issue, and California is at the forefront of these efforts. The participation of the U.S. in upcoming international events, such as the United Nations Oceans Summit planned for Nice in 2025, will be crucial.
You have been involved in managing several international crises, notably Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. How have these experiences shaped your vision of diplomacy and conflict resolution?
There are several diplomatic streams at the Quai d’Orsay. I am a “bilateralist” who likes first and foremost to create cooperation and partnerships, and carry out concrete projects that strengthen relations between France and other countries. That’s what I did when I was posted to Delhi and Doha, but also in Catherine Colonna’s office for the entire Asia-Pacific region.
I also wish to further integrate the tremendous opening to Asia and the Pacific that the West Coast represents. San Francisco has long been the main gateway to Asia. I plan to create more bridges and connections between Asia and France here, as well as between the French Pacific territories and the region. There is tremendous human and cultural richness in French Polynesia, and I will strive to make them better known here and connect them to the West Coast of the United States.
As France’s representative in San Francisco, what personal mark would you like to leave at the end of your term here?
I have had very talented predecessors, so I don’t claim to upend things, but I want to make sure that the French see the Consulate as a responsive institution, ready to help without lecturing, offering attentive and caring support.
I hope the French will feel that the Consulate is there for them, understands them, values them, and helps them move forward in their projects. If I succeed in this, and if I contribute to better highlighting the potentials of the Northwestern United States in France, I will consider that I have accomplished my mission.
What major events should the French community in the region not miss in the first months of your term?
The Francophonie Summit in Villers-Cotterêts, the reopening of Notre-Dame, the AI summit, which is a priority of the President of the Republic, will be major moments for France. Every time something important happens in France, I will ensure it is brought to life here and that as many talents from the West Coast as possible participate.
We also have a very rich cultural program in the region. Our unique heritage is appreciated here, supported by many patrons, but our avant-gardism and boldness are also celebrated. We need to showcase both sides of the coin of French genius.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of major upcoming cultural events in the Bay Area:
September 20: Heritage Day, Fort Mason, SF
September 21: Europe in the Park. Golden Gate Park, SF
October 3 to 13: Mill Valley Film Festival (mvff.com), Mill Valley, Berkeley
October 10: Silicon Valley African Film Festival, Tribute to Souleymane Cisse, San Jose
October 18 and 19: San Francisco Dance Film Festival, SF
October 25 and 27: Author and filmmaker Christine Angot, guest at the Litquake and Aftershock festivals
October 26: Perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, creator of the Les Jardins d’Hermès line, guest at the Litquake Festival at the Conservatory of Flowers
November 1 to 3: Marion Cotillard at the San Francisco French Cinema Days
Another important event not to miss in November will be the visit of the Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honor as part of the centennial of the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco. A public event is planned for Saturday, November 9.
In conclusion, is there a particular message you would like to send to the French community in San Francisco and the readers of MerciSF.com?
As I wrote to you in my letter: each of you, in your respective fields, is an Ambassador for France here. Given what you represent here, I invite you to proudly carry the colors of our country. Each one of you can embody French excellence if you wish, as much as we do, as much as I do here, alongside all the staff of this consulate.
The second message is that we need you to speak positively about our country, that is, to highlight all the good things being done there. After the great success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in France, we must continue to promote France as a gateway to Europe. And everyone can do this in their own way. If you are proud of France, and I hope you are, let it be known.
Finally, the third and last message: my door is wide open to you. Never hesitate to contact me, to come and see me, to tell me what you are doing and what you expect from me. Present your projects to me. I am here to help and support you.
Merci, Florian Cardinaux
