After the mandates of David Martinon and Henri Verdier, the function of digital ambassador, still fragile in its institutional anchoring and with very limited operational and budgetary resources, could change scale. Approached for the position, according to our colleagues at Politico, Clara Chappaz could introduce a deep rereading of the mission, the definition of which dates from 2018.
A change of generation and method
French digital diplomacy has long evolved in an unstable equilibrium covering a very large perimeter, increasing stakes, while being endowed with reduced institutional capacity. The arrival of Clara Chappaz could shift this center of gravity. Her career at the head of French Tech and her role as Minister Delegate in charge of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology have placed her in direct contact with the transformations of the industry, European regulation and the balance of power with global platforms. This positioning gives it an advantage for a role which must now combine technological sovereignty, economic competitiveness and normative influence.
If the mandates of David Martinon and Henri Verdier were decisive in structuring French digital diplomacy, laying the foundations and gradually extending its scope, Clara Chappaz could provide a less administrative reading and more focused on strengthened diplomacy, particularly with regard to GAFAM, economic models and innovation. This development would strengthen the existing heritage while opening new fields of action adapted to current technological and industrial dynamics.
A technological diplomacy refocused on competitiveness
The Verdier years consolidated the foundations of the position: cybersecurity, internet governance, human rights, economic diplomacy. An appointment of Clara Chappaz could extend this architecture while rebalancing it, particularly in its economic and geopolitical dimension.
Such a development would strengthen France’s capacity to defend its interests in negotiations on AI, cloud infrastructures, data or technical standards, where the power of influence of global companies often exceeds that of States. The experience acquired with French scale-ups would give it direct access to the industrial issues that European companies encounter in the application of the DMA or the AI Act.
Structuring a French digital bloc
The ambassador role could benefit from a significant ripple effect. Through her aura, her experience and the extent of her responsibilities, Clara Chappaz would be able to coherently bring together the numerous organizations in the ecosystem, whether they are state actors such as French Tech, AFNIC or the National Digital Council, but also intermediary bodies such as Numeum, lobbies such as France Digitale, or even AI centers, cloud players, researchers and manufacturers. In a context where international decisions require distributed expertise and fine coordination, this ability to lead and bring together would constitute a real asset.
Strengthen the French presence in international forums
Today, Big Tech influences technical standards, protocols and formats much more directly than diplomatic representations. An ambassador from the technological ecosystem would be in a position to establish a more operational dialogue with these actors and to have more influence on sensitive negotiations, but also to intensify European cooperation, structuring for France, by more systematically activating the network of EU digital ambassadors and by contributing to the alignment of positions on strategic issues such as AI, GAFAM initiatives and critical infrastructures.
A strategic repositioning for French sovereignty
The main effect of such an appointment could reposition France on a more offensive diplomatic line, taking on the industrial and normative challenges of digital technology. The mission would gain authority, visibility and training capacity, while remaining aligned with the initial mandate defined in 2018.
