IPAG Business School at the heart of the economic debate with Philippe Aghion, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics

On Tuesday, 4 February 2026, IPAG Business School, as a partner of Club Les Échos Débats, contributed to a fascinating discussion on contemporary economic issues at the Les Échos Auditorium in Paris.

The event, hosted by Dominique Seux, featured special guest Professor Philippe Aghion, recently awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on economic growth and the theory of creative destruction, which highlights the role of innovation in replacing old technologies and stimulating productivity.

Under the theme ‘France, fertile ground for Nobel Prize winners, but in economic denial?’, the evening provided an in-depth reflection on the French economic situation, the challenges of innovation, public policy and international competitiveness.

On this occasion, Maria Giuseppina Bruna, Director of Research, Development and Impact at IPAG Business School, had the honour of asking Philippe Aghion questions, bringing our institution's academic perspective to the heart of the debate. The discussion addressed crucial issues related to innovation, growth and the economic policies needed to strengthen entrepreneurial and technological dynamism in France and Europe.

More specifically, Maria Giuseppina Bruna asked Professor Aghion about the mechanisms for balancing policies of openness to foreign investment, which are essential for stimulating innovation and growth in France, with the need to preserve the country's scientific, technical and industrial heritage, which is seen as a pillar of sovereignty. This provided academic insight into these crucial issues.

Alongside IPAG Business School, Wavestone has also committed to partnering with the event, highlighting the importance of bringing together academia and consulting firms to decipher major contemporary economic issues.

This event, which attracted a large audience, demonstrates IPAG Business School's commitment to social debates and its active role in strategic discussions that shape the economic future of France and Europe.