Editorial
A country’s sovereignty is now one of the most fundamental issues of our time. For our businesses, industries and regions, it is no longer a matter of abstract debate: it plays out in concrete terms, in workshops, laboratories, meeting rooms and the decisions taken every day by those who are shaping the economy of tomorrow.
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, with its wealth of sectors – aerospace, digital, agri-food, healthcare – possesses considerable assets to embody this ambition. A region of diversity and creativity, it has always managed to combine local roots with a global reach. But it is a new generation that, today, holds the greatest promise.
This ‘Épopée Deloitte Les 40 2026’ ranking highlights forty men and women under the age of 40 who, each in their own way, are helping to strengthen France’s sovereignty. Some are developing technological solutions that reduce our dependencies. Others are consolidating industrial expertise, creating sustainable jobs, building resilient sectors or devising economic models rooted in their local area. Together, they are shaping the face of a region that has chosen to take control of its future.
What this list reveals, above all, is a combination of boldness and responsibility. These leaders do not wait for change to be imposed upon them: they anticipate it, initiate it and shape it. They also know that sovereignty cannot be decreed; it is built collectively, over time, by relying on strong teams and ecosystems of trust.
Épopée Gestion and Deloitte are delighted to support, for this second Nouvelle-Aquitaine edition, an initiative that celebrates far more than individual performance: it honours a vision, a commitment, and an entrepreneurial spirit that makes the region a force to be reckoned with.
Forty profiles. Forty ways of tackling the challenges of our time with conviction and creativity. So many reasons to be optimistic about the future of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Ronan Le Moal, Mark Prikazsky, Mathieu Perromat
Co-founder of Épopée Gestion, CEO of Ceva Santé Animale (Special Guest at this 2nd edition), Partner at Deloitte
