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Blog | 5 min read
Greater Richmond hosts French business delegation exploring digital infrastructure
October 26, 2026
In October, the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP) hosted a delegation of French business leaders on a mission organized by the French American Chamber of Commerce Texas. The group of more than 30 executives from nearly 20 French companies and organizations spanned the data center supply chain, from global energy companies and engineering firms to makers of cooling, cabling and battery systems to logistics providers.
Their goal was clear: learn how North America’s fast-growing digital infrastructure market works and where their products and services could fit. After starting the week in Northern Virginia, the delegation closed out its Virginia visit with a full day in Greater Richmond.
GRP organized the program in partnership with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), and McGuireWoods who hosted the day at its downtown Richmond office.
Bienvenue à Richmond
The day began with breakfast on McGuireWoods’ 18th floor. GRP’s Jose Romano welcomed the group, and McGuireWoods Chairman Jon Harmon introduced Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery.
Speaking on behalf of Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Sec. Chenery pointed to Virginia’s No. 3 ranking in CNBC’s 2026 America’s Top States for Business and the governor’s July trade mission to Europe, which included a stop in France. Her message to the delegation was simple: Virginia welcomes international investment and wants companies that choose the Commonwealth to succeed here for the long term.
VEDP’s Stephen Hartka and Micah Kemp followed with a look at Virginia’s data center market, which includes more than 730 data centers operating or under construction. Constance Bost of the French American Chamber of Commerce Texas, who led the mission, also addressed the group, and Romano closed the session with an overview of the Greater Richmond region.
Virginia’s energy story
Energy sits at the center of nearly every data center investment decision, so it was the first topic of the morning. Dominion Energy’s Cedric Green, Google’s Hannah Coman and Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ Jessica Strunkin discussed how utilities, major energy users and emerging technology companies are working together to meet rising demand. McGuireWoods’ Christopher Lloyd moderated.
The conversation covered generation, grid investment and next-generation technologies such as fusion, along with where suppliers of equipment, engineering and services can contribute.
Building the supply chain
The second panel moved from power to the network of companies that make a data center possible. Hourigan‘s Michael Henley, Hyper‘s Wendi Runyon and Atlantic Constructors’ Hal Hamner walked through how a project comes together, from site work through construction, commissioning and operations. McGuireWoods’ Margaret Rockwell moderated.
For the delegation, the focus was practical: what project teams look for in a supplier and how a new company earns a place on the team. The opportunity is real. Recent data center supplier and service announcements in Virginia have created more than 4,650 jobs and $1.7 billion in new investment, according to VEDP.
AI, talent and a French success story
Over lunch, the conversation turned to what grows around the infrastructure: applied AI, a fast-growing tech workforce and the capital and networks that help new ideas reach the market.
The panel included a familiar French voice. Romain Lhéritier leads Ippon Technologies USA, the U.S. arm of a Paris-based technology consulting firm that chose Richmond as its first U.S. landing spot in 2014.
“Virginia is business-friendly from a tax standpoint… Our target market is the East Coast, and when you look at Richmond on the map, it’s pretty central.”
Romain Lhéritier
Ippon Technologies USA
He was joined by William Willis of AI Ready RVA, Nick Serfass of the Richmond Technology Council and Conaway Haskins of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, with McGuireWoods’ Kassie Schroth moderating.
From concept to construction
The afternoon brought the day’s conversations down to the ground. Romano moderated a Mission Critical Project Showcase built around Iron Mountain‘s new data center campus in Henrico County.
Clark Construction’s Louie Sarracino, Bohler’s Brian Miller and Columbia Gas of Virginia‘s Gina Slaunwhite explained how design, permitting, construction, building systems and utility coordination fit together on a project of that scale. They also shared where specialized suppliers come in and when.
The delegation then headed to White Oak Technology Park, a master-planned park of about 2,300 acres in eastern Henrico. The drive passed major campuses for Meta and QTS, along with Seppic Richmond, a manufacturing operation tied to the French company Air Liquide.
The tour ended at Iron Mountain’s active construction site. The 66-acre campus is planned for more than 1 million square feet and over 200 megawatts of capacity, with phased delivery from 2028 through 2029.
À bientôt
The day closed with a networking reception at Echelon Wine Bar in Shockoe Slip, where the delegation met economic development partners from the City of Richmond and Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties, along with utility, construction and technology leaders. The visit builds on deep ties between France and Virginia. More than 80 French-owned companies operate in the Commonwealth, and 13 are based in the Richmond Region, including operations of Air Liquide, Veolia, Fareva and Ippon Technologies.
GRP regularly welcomes international delegations and helps foreign companies evaluate Greater Richmond as a location for U.S. operations. We look forward to continuing these conversations with the companies that joined us.
Thank you to the French American Chamber of Commerce Texas, VEDP, McGuireWoods, Iron Mountain, Clark Construction and every speaker and partner who made the day a success.
About The Author
Christopher Hollomon is director of marketing at the Greater Richmond Partnership, leading marketing and communications initiatives focused on business recruitment to the Greater Richmond Region. He brings a diverse background in graphic design, marketing, public relations and digital media, including award-winning campaigns. He holds a Bachelors and Masters Degree from Radford University and lives in Henrico County, VA.
