Mr. David Appia was named French Ambassador for international investment on December 10, 2008 and assumed his functions as Chairman and CEO of the Invest in France agency on January 5, 2009.

Prior to his appointment, he was Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs at the French Embassy in the USA, the leading market for French exports outside the European Union and the largest source of foreign direct investment in France, where 3,700 subsidiaries of American companies employ a total of 600,000 people.